The Odd Couple
by ivorykeys09
Summary: AU. Dan/Blair. Pulling on her eye mask once more, she succumbed to sleep wondering if she would regret this. This idea of having a roommate. And not only that, but a roommate that is from Brooklyn, goes to NYU, and is ...a stranger. T/M.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** AU, Future. All you need to know is Dan and Blair are friends of Nate, but do **NOT **know each other. They are seniors in college—Nate and Blair attend Columbia.

Title credit goes to Sarabrowncolorado. It was too perfect not to use. And I'm going to go ahead and consider her my sort-of beta. Sara, you are a very talented writer and reader, so thanks so much as always. Also thanks to my new reader-friend and cheerleader Marlie.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

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><p>"Nice to see you're putting that watch to good use," Blair said one late August day, not hiding her sarcasm in the slightest. "We were supposed to meet twenty-three minutes ago Nathaniel. I gave you that watch for a reason." She handed him the cup she was holding. "Your coffee's cold; it's your—"<p>

"My own fault," Nate finished, still catching his breath. "Yeah, I know. Practice ran late. It's pre-season, sorry," he shrugged, cringing at the taste of cold coffee. He tossed it in the garbage can and linked arms with Blair to lead her down the sidewalk. "And how are _you_ doing today Blair?"

She sighed. "Fine. Ever since Serena left I've actually been able to get things accomplished."

He chuckled and reached for her coffee. "Like what?" he asked, before taking a sip.

She glared at him and took her drink back. "Picking up my books for classes, going to bed at a normal hour, staying home at night instead of going to a club."

Nate smiled; Serena was always the wild one. "And how are your quiet nights at home?" He knew what her answer would be, since she seemed to constantly complain about it.

She sighed. "_Too _quiet. Dorota barely works now that Aleksandar's arrived, Mother and Cyrus hardly come home anymore, and now S is back at Brown. I cannot imagine _not_ living in the Penthouse, but it feels so...empty."

"I've said this many times before, but my offer still stands," he said with a grin, stealing her coffee once again. "I could—"

"_No,_" she said immediately. "You are not moving in."

He pulled her in tighter. "You're just saying that because you know we'll have too much fun."

She eyed him, but still smiled. "What do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

He let out a breath. "Nothing much. I'm meeting Dan for a beer later, but that's about it."

She furrowed her brow. "Dan?"

Nate sighed. "_Why_—no matter how many times I tell you—can you never remember my friend Dan? I've talked about him before."

Her face remained unchanged.

"He's an intern at NY Mag. He had to write an article about the Columbia lacrosse team and interviewed me. Ring any bells?"

Her phone rang. "Oh. Yes, I remember," she said half-heartedly, fishing in her purse for her cell. She read the message. "I have to go Nate, but I'll talk to you later, okay?" She was already walking away. "Have fun with...Dave."

Laughing, he waved her off. "Bye."

**::**

"Hey man," Nate said, walking up to Dan who was already seated at the bar. "Long time no see." He slapped him on the back.

Dan gave a small smile then signaled the bartender for another beer. "Hey."

"What's goin' on?" Nate gave a nod in thanks to the bartender and took a sip.

Dan let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "You don't wanna know."

Nate laughed. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not that bad."

Shaking his head, he laughed humorlessly. "What could be worse than getting kicked out of your apartment and given one week to find a new place?"

Nate whistled. "Getting kicked out and given one _day_?" he joked, trying to lighten the mood. Dan didn't seem to be listening.

"Why are you getting kicked out? "

"My landlord got an offer on the building and sold it; apparently the offer was too good to pass up. The new owner is planning on knocking it down and is evicting all of us."

Nate looked confused. "That's ridiculous. I don't know a lot about real estate, but I'm pretty sure they're supposed to give you more than a week's notice."

Dan shrugged. "Whatever. A week, three weeks, I still need to find a place. Preferably before classes start."

Letting out a breath, Nate shook his head. "Sorry man. That sucks. If I meet anyone who needs a roommate, I'll let you know."

A beat passed, and then suddenly, as if an inner lightbulb went off, an idea came to him. "Oh my god," Nate said, wide-eyed. "I have the BEST idea."

Dan raised his eyebrows, waiting for him to continue.

"You should move in with Blair!" He said it as if Dan should have known all along—as if he knew her.

Dan laughed, then took a sip of his drink. "Who's Blair?"

"She's one of my oldest friends. I've known her forever; _loved_ her forever—" He stopped once he sensed Dan's anxiety. "I don't love her any_more_."

"I don't know man..." he trailed off.

More committed to the idea, Nate shook his head. "I'm telling you, she _needs_ a roommate. Her best girl friend lives in Providence, so her current best friend is her part-time housekeeper; she recently broke up with her boyfriend of three years. She complains _all the time_ about how quiet the house is. Quite honestly, she seems incredibly lonely, although she would rather die than admit it to anyone." He laughed to himself.

"Does she even have enough room?" Dan asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Nate let out a loud laugh that sounded across the restaurant. "Yes, she has plenty of room...in her penthouse."

Dan choked on his beer. "Penthouse?"

"Yup."

Dan looked unconvinced, but having no other options at the moment, gave in. "If you want to run it by her, be my guest. But I have to figure out something fast."

Nate nodded and grabbed a handful of cashews, eating them in thought.

It was perfect. Blair needed someone—someone new. Someone to interact with other than minions and maids. Someone to loosen her up a bit and make her feel uncomfortable and out of her element. A roommate whom she's never met—someone like Dan—would be perfect.

Now all he had to do was convince her.

**::**

She knew something was up the moment she saw Nate Archibald sitting on her living room sofa, holding a box of macarons. Her eyes narrowed. "Do I _want_ to know?" She turned and walked up the stairs. He quickly followed.

"So I have a really huge favor to ask," he nearly pleaded from her bedroom door. She hadn't even stopped to look at him.

"What is it Nate?" she said, sounding and feeling exhausted all of a sudden.

"Macaron?" he offered, holding out the box to stall his request. She ignored the treat. "Can Dan—my friend from NYU," he reminded again, "Move...into your guestroom?"

_This_ stopped her. "Are you insane?"

"No?"

"Absolutely not," she snapped. "I don't even know one thing about him!"

Nate jumped at the opportunity. "He grew up in Hudson and lives in Brooklyn—"

She cringed.

"Blair," he said in a warning tone. "I told you before. He has a job at NY Magazine, he's in the top 5% of his class. He's a totally normal guy. I wouldn't even _think_ about asking you if I didn't trust him. It'll only be for a few weeks."

"He's from Brooklyn."

Nate gave her a flat stare. "Seriously? That's all you got out of that?"

She shook her head and walked into her bathroom. He followed.

"Nate, I have a headache and for once, the silence of this apartment is actually immensely appealing."

Nate sighed. "Just...think about it, okay?" he asked, backing away from her and out of the room. "I'll leave these here," he said, placing the box of cookies on her dresser. He was almost out the door before her turned to her once more. "Think about it..._please_."

**::**

_Goddamn Nate Archibald, _Blair thought to herself as she readied for bed. Ever since their conversation earlier, his piercing blue puppy-dog eyes had been engraved in her mind. Nate rarely asked for anything and when he did, it was small. She should be able to do this one favor for him—but why did it have to be so annoying?

She pulled back her covers and sank into bed. Once she was in a comfortable position—eye mask in place—she relaxed. A moment passed before she tensed; the silence was always the worst at night. She couldn't even hear the Manhattan nightlife from outside her windows. Sighing, she pulled up the mask and reached for her cell phone, hitting the second speed dial. He picked up after two rings.

"Okay, so Brooklyn isn't as bad as it was a few years ago," she said, exasperated. "The town _is_ on the rise."

She could practically hear his smile. "You do realize it _has_ been for a few years, right?"

Blair smirked. "So why does he need to move again? What's wrong with his apartment?"

"His landlord is kicking him out—" She gasped. "_Because_ he just sold it. It's being knocked down."

She was still wary. "I don't know, Nate."

He let out a tired sigh. "Blair, he needs to be out by the end of the week. He said he'll start looking for a new apartment right away. But classes start next week and you and I both know how stressful that can be—and with this eviction thing on top of it? He's in a time crunch."

She remained silent for a moment.

"_Please_ Blair."

Silence.

"Fine."

"Ah I knew it! I knew you'd come around."

"_Nate_—" she warned.

He stopped gloating. "Sorry, sorry. I'll call him now and tell him. He'll move in Saturday, okay? I owe you one Blair!"

She hung up quickly and tossed her phone on the bedside table. Pulling on her eye mask once more, she succumbed to sleep wondering if she would regret this. This idea of having a roommate. And not only that, but a roommate that is from Brooklyn, goes to NYU, and is...a stranger.

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><p><strong>AN: **Interested in more? Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I thanked each reviewer individually, but I do not want to leave out my readers who aren't FF members (or those who haven't enabled PMs). Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Glad you all liked the first chapter. I have much more planned for this story.

Since classes just started this week, I will have less time to write. However, I don't want to take forever between updates. Therefore I am thinking about doing shorter chapters, but try to update weekly (bi-weekly maybe?). I hope that's okay! And hopefully I stick to that.

As always, thanks to Sarabrowncolorado and Marlie. :) Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl.

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><p>She really wanted to hate him. She really really did. Ever since she agreed to have him move in, she wanted to despise him. Have a little fun and make the move difficult.<p>

But goddamnit he was attractive.

He and Nate showed up—as expected—later than their scheduled arrival time. They blamed the traffic, but after seeing the horribly, pathetically taped boxes that now sat on her guest room floor, she figured Dan had done some last minute packing.

The moment the elevator doors opened, she was expecting his jaw to drop at his new residence. Surely he had never been in a Penthouse before, right? But instead, he flashed a charming smile, took her hand, and gave a slight bow.

"You saved me," he said, winking. "I owe you."

And before she could even respond or rip her hand out of his grasp, he backed away to start moving boxes, never once glancing around the grandiose apartment. She didn't know what offended her more: him, for not commenting on how nice her penthouse was. Or her, for finding it endearing.

It didn't take long to notice that Dan was different. And attractive. The way he dressed was frustratingly fashionable; his jeans were the perfect fit and although his button-down looked nice, it was far too plaid for her taste. She could tell that the quality of his clothes were less than par, but only her eye would be able to figure that out. And his hair. She sort of wanted to rake her fingers through it.

He brought less stuff than she assumed he would, which made her relieved in a way. She didn't expect him to sparsely decorate the penthouse with his belongings, but it was a nice knowing it would still feel and look _hers_.

Dan moved efficiently and quietly, bringing the boxes up the elevator, from the car, then up the staircase. She couldn't help but notice how _not_ out-of-breath he was—even after the many trips up and down the stairs—and the way his muscles worked when he lifted anything heavy. Nate, on the other hand, seemed to complain the entire time, huffing and groaning at how tired he was. When he asked for the tenth time, "_Ugh,_ how many boxes are left?" Blair had to bite her tongue before she lost it on him.

Finally, after the last box was upstairs and placed neatly against the wall with the rest, Nate said goodbye. He was tired, sweaty, and on Blair's last nerve, so she happily waved him off. It was only when the elevator shut that she realized she was alone...with Dan. Nate's presence and groans had made the entire afternoon seem less awkward than it would have been if they were by themselves. And now that they were, reality set in that it was just _them_.

She heard rustling from upstairs, so she quietly made her way to Serena's—_his_—room. Blair stood in the doorway as she watched him tear open box and after box, as if looking for something.

"Forget something?" she asked, voice breaking the silence.

Dan looked up in surprise, not expecting her. Laughing, he said, "No. I'm just figuring out what the hell is in each box. And regretting asking Nate Archibald to help me pack."

He gave a boyish grin that made her heart jump a little, but when her eye caught the knocked over picture frame behind him, rage flooded through her. She raced over to the bedside table and picked it up, gasping at the broken glass that fell from it. It was a picture of her and Serena from the summer; Lily had taken it in the Hamptons while both girls were tanning on the porch. Adorning sunglasses and stylish one-pieces, both girls looked totally old-Hollywood glam. Serena had given it to her before she left, and Blair absolutely adored it. And now the frame was broken—because of _him_.

"The least you could do is be mindful of my things," she snapped, furious at the tears that prickled her eyes.

His face fell. "Oh my gosh," he said nervously. "I didn't realize—"

"Well maybe you should pay more attention." She knew she was being hard, after all, it was just the _frame_ that had broken, not the picture. But this wouldn't have happened if he hadn't moved in.

"I'm...I'm really sorry Blair," he said sincerely.

"Just forget it," she said, placing the picture back in the pile of glass. He couldn't even apologize again before she was out the door. When he heard her door slam, he sighed. Five minutes later, a piece of paper slipped under his door. Completely curious, he picked it up and read it.

_House Rules:_

_1. No parties or large groups unless approved by me _prior_ to the event._

_2. No overnight guests unless approved by me. (And yes, this includes drunken one-night-stands!)_

_3. My room, as well as the master bedroom, is absolutely off-limits._

_You may use the kitchen and laundry room whenever you like, and you may borrow any movie or book in the house._

_-BW_

Smiling to himself, he placed the rules on the bed and began to unpack.

**::**

The next morning, Blair awoke early and in desperate need of tea. Without a glance in the mirror, she pulled on her robe and made her way downstairs. When she walked into the kitchen, she gasped. "Oh!"

Dan looked up from the paper he was reading. "Are you okay?"

She cleared her throat and nodded. "I...forgot you were here."

A smirk graced his lips. "Sorry. You're stuck with me." She didn't crack a smile. "For a few weeks, at least."

She watched as his eyes made his way down her body and a blush rose to her cheeks. It was only now that she became aware her robe was undone, and she was wearing a very revealing baby-doll slip underneath. She realized in horror that she was practically half-naked in front of a stranger. The last man who had seen this much of her was Chuck—and he was her boyfriend.

"Eyes on the paper, Humphrey," she snapped, tightening the robe across her body. However nice it was to see a man appreciating her body again—because it was clear that he liked what he saw—she was still embarrassed. He quickly looked down, puzzled by her sudden nickname for him.

Once she put on the pot of tea, she faced him again. "I'm going to change, but would you mind turning this off if it whistles?"

"Sure," he said, not looking up from the article he was reading. She smirked; he learned his lesson.

Once she made it upstairs, she nearly shrieked when she saw her appearance in the mirror. Her curls were messy—but in the un-sexiest way possible—her cheeks had faint pillow marks, and she still looked utterly exhausted. Sighing, she showered, changed, and spent more time than normal on her hair and makeup. Once she was satisfied with her appearance, she waltzed downstairs to find Dan putting the kettle back on the stove.

"What are you doing?" she asked, slightly out of breath.

He laughed, then took in her appearance. "You took so long the water got cold again."

She looked at the clock; her eyes widened when she saw she had taken an hour. "Oh," she said quietly, blushing for the second time that day. "Thanks."

He nodded wordlessly and walked to the sink to wash the plate he had used. She watched as he carefully dried and placed it back in the cabinet.

He turned and noticed her staring; she quickly spun around and took off the teapot, even though it hadn't whistled, and fixed her tea. Once she was done, she sat down at the counter and watched him gather his things.

"Hey, um...after class I'm going to grocery store. Would you like me to pick up anything for you?"

She was taken back slightly, surprised by the offer. "Dorota usually does my grocery shopping."

He looked confused. "Oh, does Dorota live here too? I thought it was only me—"

Blair rolled her eyes. "No, she's the housekeeper."

He raised his eyebrows. "Housekeeper?"

Suddenly realizing how bad it sounded, she softened. "She's also sort of like a fashion assistant and...a really good friend."

At this, Dan remembered what Nate had said the other day. _Her best girl friend lives in Providence, so her current best friend is her housekeeper..._

She continued, "You'll see her one of these days. She has two young kids, so she doesn't work full-time anymore, but she'll be around.

"So I shouldn't call the police if I see someone dusting my bookcase?" he teased.

A smile played on her lips. "No, you shouldn't."

"Okay." He smiled back. "Well, I'm off for the day. Are you sure you don't need anything from the store?"

Taking a sip of her tea, she shook her head. "I'm sure. But thanks for offering."

"No problem. See you later."

"Bye," she said, before turning her attention back to her tea.

**::**

After a long day of classes, Blair was immensely grateful to be home. The second the elevator doors opened, the most glorious smell wafted over her and she was automatically drawn to the kitchen.

Sitting at the counter was Dan, holding a fork in one hand and a book in the other.

"Hey," he said, noticing her presence right away.

"Hi."

After a beat, he asked, "Did you eat? I have plenty left."

It smelled too good to pass up. "What did you make?"

Grinning, he replied, "Spaghetti bolognese. Secret family recipe."

Taking a step closer to him, Blair couldn't help herself. "What's so special about it?" It came out more flirty than she had planned.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill ya," he teased back.

She laughed easily and nodded her head. "I'd love to try it."

Looking happy and a tad proud, Dan got up and fixed her a plate, then poured her a glass of wine. "Enjoy," he said, before taking his seat again.

Once she took a bite, she vowed to find out the secret recipe; whether it be letting him live there forever, a date, or, _god_, even sex—it was the most delectable meal she had ever tasted. "I'm impressed," she admitted. "It's delicious."

Dan smiled. "Thanks." Then, pushing back his chair, he reached into his bag and pulled out a wrapped gift. "This is for you," he said, handing it to her.

She took it cautiously, both confused and completely curious.

She gasped once she opened it. He had put the picture of her and Serena in a brand new frame.

"Oh," she said, not knowing what else to say. "Thank you so much." Suddenly, she felt extremely guilty at the way she had yelled at him. "Sorry about last night. It was a long day and—"

"I deserved it," he said. "And I'm the one who should be sorry; I should have been more careful." It was quiet for a moment before he asked, "Who's in the picture with you?"

Blair bit her lip and looked at the photo again. "My best friend Serena; she goes to Brown. She'll be visiting in a few weeks."

"It'll be nice to meet her," he said honestly, and Blair couldn't help but felt a pang of jealously. Not wanting to go there tonight, she brushed the thought from her mind. "Anyway, thanks for dinner."

After helping him with the dishes, she said goodnight and made her way upstairs. Once in her room, she set the picture on her bedside table and studied it once more. The frame was beautiful and actually much better than the one it had been in before. Wanting to see where it was from, she picked it up turned it around. Instead of finding the source, she instead found a note. It had one word:

_Sorry._

Yes. She was going to like Dan Humphrey very much.

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><p><strong>AN:** How was that? :) Review please!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I am so overwhelmed by the response to this story! Again, to all of the non-members, anon reviewers, and anyone else I couldn't thank via private message: thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I love hearing what you think of the chapters, so keep doing it! Enjoy this next one...

Sara. Oh Sara. Thanks as always. :) You put up with my millions of emails, so for that you should get a reward. And thanks to Marlie.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl.

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><p>"Wait...<em>what?<em>"

"I'm so glad to hear you listen to me Serena," Blair said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I told you this already."

"I thought you said he was spending a few days, not moving in! Where is he staying?"

Blair bit her tongue, afraid of Serena's reaction. "Your...room?"

"My room! B!" Relief washed over Blair when she heard her laughing.

"Well, his room now. And S, he's Nate's friend—you know how Nate gets when he needs a favor."

"Ugh, puppy dog eyes?"

Blair smiled knowingly. "Yes." She had been talking to Serena for the past hour in the living room, both girls finally catching up over the phone for longer than five minutes.

"Well as long as your okay with it, then I guess it's fine," Serena replied. It was silent for a moment. "_Well_..."

Blair furrowed her brow. "_Well..._what?"

"Is he hot?"

"Serena!" Blair shrieked, laughing into the phone. "Does it matter?"

Serena scoffed. "Of course it does! So...is he cute?"

Quickly, she replied, "No, Serena. I don't like him in that way." Blair cringed at herself; she sounded like an eleven year old in denial over her first crush.

"I didn't ask if you liked him," she clarified. "I asked if he was hot."

"You are impossible," Blair sighed, taking a sip of her wine.

"Come _on_ B! I can tell you're not telling the truth."

Blair let out a breath. "_Serena._"

"Fine. I guess _I'll_ just have to be the judge of that." Blair's jaw clenched at the thought of Serena meeting Dan. "Listen, B, I have to go. But I'm so excited to see you in two weeks!"

"Yeah, same," she replied semi-enthusiastically, her mind still thinking about Serena's visit.

As she hung up, Dan walked out of the elevator.

"Hey," he said, walking into the living room to sit opposite of her.

She smiled. "Hi. You're home late."

"Just one of those days at work," he shrugged.

"Did you eat? Dorota made this amazing salad tonight; there's some left over."

Dan shook his head. "No thanks. I ate at my desk." He pointed to her glass. "I'd love some wine though."

She smiled and got up. A minute later, she came back with the bottle and a glass, handing it to him.

He leaned back in his chair. "So. In an effort to get to know each other better, I was thinking we could play a little game."

"Oh?" Blair mused, taking a sip of wine, getting more comfortable in her seat.

"Yup. Twenty questions; you and me, right now." He unfolded the piece of paper from his pocket. "Two rules: you must be honest and no judging."

She gave a nervous laugh. "Okay."

"I printed the list of questions from some website, so who knows what's on it." Dan cleared his throat. "Question one. Any siblings?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Only child. You?"

"Younger sister named Jenny." He looked at the list again. "Do you...smoke?" He wasn't expecting this question.

She scoffed. "Of course not. Do _you?_ Because if you do, you can pack your—"

He cut her off. "Relax, I don't smoke."

She looked down, slightly embarrassed. "Let's stick with the conventional questions, shall we?"

Dan laughed. "I told you, I don't know what's on this list. And besides, it's more fun this way."

She sighed. "Fine."

He smiled in defeat. "What was your favorite thing to do as a child?"

She cocked her head to the side in thought. "I really loved to ice skate in the winter. Not competitively, but for fun. What about you?"

He smiled. "My dad's in this band. Or...was. Anyway, I loved going to his concerts. Some days I would sit backstage and watch from the side. But other nights, I would sneak into the audience and watch from out there. I loved being part of the crowd of people. When people held up their lighters, I would hold up my thumb."

Blair swore she saw him blush.

He cleared his throat. "Favorite holiday?"

She sighed happily this time, leaning back in her chair. "Thanksgiving."

"Why Thanksgiving?" he asked, surprised by her answer.

"The coming together of family, the décor, the pumpkin pie." Blair smiled, her thoughts going to her father for a moment. "What's _yours?_"

"Christmas, of course," he said as if it were obvious.

She furrowed her brow. "That is so cliché. Everyone says Christmas."

Playfully defensive, he replied, "I have my reasons."

"And they are..."

"The music, the lights, the smell of pine trees, the horrible sweaters." Blair laughed. He continued, "It's the only time of year where you can walk down the street and say hi to a stranger, and they'll say hi back. And _mean_ it. The cheer and merriment in New York at Christmas is completely contagious and makes me want to never live anywhere else."

Blair felt her heartbeat quicken, so completely captivated by his response, she considered switching her holiday to his.

"Favorite word?"

She thought for a moment. "Luscious."

"Luscious?"

She nodded. "Whenever I hear it, I just think of...red. Big, juicy strawberries; an incredible lipstick. The soles on my favorite Louboutins. It's such a warm word. And whenever I say it, I just feel _sexier_." Her honesty was surprising her tonight; it must be the wine.

Dan swallowed, thinking how ironic it was that luscious was her favorite word; because it was the exact word that described _her_.

His gaze was her lips when she asked, "And yours?"

He lifted his eyes. "Ruminate. To think; to ponder. I..._ruminate_ often before I write." And for a writer, his answer wasn't nearly as descriptive as hers. But his mind was elsewhere.

"I like that word," she said, giving a genuine smile.

He smiled back and then looked down at the paper, clearing his mind. "Favorite sound?"

"Heels clicking off the marble floors at Barneys. You?"

"The choir of keyboards typing at work." And in a voice that sounded like a radio announcer, he added, "The sound of productivity." Her laughter echoed through the room; he drank in the sound.

"Okay, next one. If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three things would you need to survive besides food and water?"

"Hmm..." Blair pondered. "Breakfast at Tiffany's, a box of macarons, and Dorota." She sat back, satisfied with her answer.

He let out a laugh. "Okay, first, you totally cheated your way into five things, since you would need a TV and a baker as well. And...wait...Dorota?" He gave a disapproving look. "Really Waldorf?"

"Don't refer to me by my last name," she said, voice high and motherly. "And yes, Dorota would keep me company. I thought we said no judging."

He put his hands up. "I'm simple. I would need a pencil, a pen, and a notebook."

"That's so boring."

"Look who's judging now," he said accusingly, smirk on his face.

He next read, "If you had a billion dollars, what would you do with it?" Dan looked up at her and smirked. "Moving on, since you already have a billion dollars..."

She kicked his foot. "I do not," she said, laughing. "But if I _did_, I would give a lot to charity or open a house for girls who need guidance." Seeing his face at her revealing answer, she added, "And of course, I would buy some shoes and fabulous clothes. And a house in St. Barts. You?"

"I'd buy my apartment building _back_ from the new owner," he joked, before hoping it didn't offend her. "No, I would probably pay off all my student loans and then walk down the street and hand $100 bills to people. I feel like that would be really fun." _This_ she laughed at. "And then I would move somewhere completely new and just write_. _I wouldn't need to worry about anything: money, work, school. Just my writing."

"I like that idea better," Blair said quietly, before taking another long sip of wine. She couldn't tell if the warm feeling running through her was the alcohol getting to her, or Dan.

Dan looked at the list again. "Any tattoos?"

The look she gave him told him _no._ No she did not.

"Me neither," he said quickly. "So I'm guessing no weird piercings?" Again, the answer was clear by her face.

Laughing, he asked the next question. "Have you ever been cheated...on?" It was only then did he realize what he had asked.

And that did it. Just like that, Blair snapped right back to the place she was at before she met Dan. He watched as she physically and mentally withdrew from the game, backing away slightly in her chair. With a wobbly voice, she stood up and said, "You know what...it's getting late and I have to get up early tomorrow." She picked up her wine glass and went into the kitchen.

"_Fuck_," Dan muttered to himself, closing his eyes and dropping his head. Nate's voice rang through his mind. _She just broke up with her boyfriend of three years..._

Why didn't he read the damn questions before asking them?

He got up quietly and followed the path into the kitchen. The sight of Blair Waldorf wiping her eyes while washing dishes made him want to crawl in a hole. He knew an apology would probably make her feel worse, so he took a risk and broke the silence. "Question 21: Ever have a horrible, insensitive, jerk of a roommate?"

To his relief, she let out a watery laugh. She turned to him. "You're not horrible. You couldn't have known."

"So I'm just an insensitive jerk?" he teased, praying his attempt at humor would work again.

Laughing, she flicked water at him. "You're none of them."

He let out an audible sigh. "Good." It was silent for a moment before he added, "I should have looked at the questions before-hand."

Blair shook her head. "It's really okay. But to answer the question...yes. I don't want to talk about it, but yes. I've been cheated on."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, and she gave a small smile in return.

Blair set the wine glass upside down to dry. "So what's the next question?"

"Are you sure you want to still play?"

She shrugged. "Why not."

"Okay. Next question is..." A smug grin spread across his face when he saw what it was. "Blair Waldorf...what turns you on?"

Her jaw dropped. "Maybe I don't want to play anymore," she said laughing.

"Last one?"

She relented. Crossing her arms and leaning back on the counter, she said the first thing that came to mind. "The expected answers: someone who can make me laugh, but also knows when to be serious. Someone who accepts me for exactly who I am and never makes me feel embarrassed or ashamed. And...someone. Someone who isn't afraid to have fun. But chocolate and presents also turn me on, as does a man who can sit with me on a bench, feed the ducks, and not complain once. And a man who can play an instrument can really turn me on." Blair smiled, content with her answer, before walking over to meet him in the kitchen doorway. She placed a hand on his arm. "This was fun; I'm glad we did it."

"Me too."

"See you in the morning," she said, before making the walk upstairs.

"Goodnight," Dan answered back, making a mental note to call his dad tomorrow.

He needed to borrow a guitar.

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><p><strong>AN:** :) Like where it's going? Please review! I so love hearing your thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thanks again to every reviewer. I loved reading what everyone had to say. Sorry for the delay in this chapter...I needed to take a mini-break.

I'd like to give a special thanks to my writer friend N. She is an _extremely_ talented Chair writer, but still helped me with something in this chapter. Now in this fandom...that shows true friendship ;) My thanks also goes to Spiros and last, but certainly not least, Sara.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

><p>Ever since they played their twenty questions game, Blair found herself noticing every little thing about Dan. The way he takes his coffee, the way he tucks a pen above his ear, the way he smells after taking a shower—<p>

The latter had occurred unintentionally the first week of October. Dan had been living in the Penthouse for almost a month and they were finally used to each other's schedules. Blair would always arrive home before Dan, as her classes were in the afternoon, while he would arrive home later after work. More often than not they would eat separately, and instead occasionally catch up over a glass of wine. But the more Blair found herself developing a..._crush_ on Dan, the more she distanced herself. Not only would it be completely irresponsible of her, but it would be entirely inappropriate to even _think_ about dating a man she lived with. And so she spent more time outside of the Penthouse than in. Although she hated the fact that she was giving up time at home, it was utterly impossible to think straight when he was around. And so on the exterior, she returned to her roots—the snappy, cunning, bitchy Blair Waldorf.

But on the inside, it was becoming exceptionally hard for her to keep her feelings at bay. And seeing a wet Dan Humphrey did nothing to help the matter. In one of the first days of October, Blair's afternoon art history class had been cancelled, and so she returned home for a few relaxing hours. Serena would be arriving the next day for the weekend, thanks to a short Columbus Day break, and Blair knew things would get busy.

After grabbing a snack and practically skipping upstairs, Blair decided that a bath sounded like a glorious idea. Dorota was done for the day, Dan was at work, and for the first time in what seemed like weeks, she had the house to herself.

After dropping her purse and kicking off her shoes, she walked into her bathroom to draw a bath. Once the temperature was perfectly hot, she shed her clothes, already feeling more relaxed. Her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror and a blush rose to her cheeks. For a single girl, she was wearing some rather sexy lingerie. She laughed at herself—it's not like Dan (or any other man) would be seeing it.

With a sigh, she remembered the bath salts that Serena had stolen the week she moved out. They were in Dan's bathroom now, and she had forgotten to take them back. Knowing Dan was at work, Blair didn't think twice about walking across the hall, still clad in her lingerie. His door was closed, as it usually was, but she still cautiously opened it. She felt like a little girl again, tip-toeing into her parents room while they were gone—afraid to get caught. She had been in this room millions of times before, but his foreign belongings and masculine smell blanketed the space.

Remembering her rising bathwater, she shook her thoughts from Dan and opened the door to the bathroom—

"Blair!"

She would have screamed. She _should_ have screamed. But she was in such shock, she stood immobilized.

Standing in front of her was a very naked and _very_ wet Dan Humphrey.

Sure, his towel was covering the bottom half of him; but Blair's view _now_ showed significantly more of his body than she had seen before.

Fuck.

Dan broke the silence again. "What are you doing?" His eyes drifted hungrily down her body. "And...what are you _wearing?_"

Blair closed her eyes, registering that—yet again—she was giving Dan a very generous view of her body. Her heart plummeted at the thought of what she was wearing.

"I...I needed bath salts. S—_Serena_ took them." She was wringing her hands nervously. Why did he keep catching her off guard? Angrily, she remembered this was _her_ house. She crossed her arms, feeling a little better about covering her body. "And _I_ could ask you the same thing! What are _you_ doing here?" she retorted icily.

"This is my bathroom!"

Blair scoffed. "Why aren't you at work? You're supposed to be at work!"

He couldn't help but laugh. "Blair, I came home early. I can do that, right?"

Her eyes widened at the childish question. "Of _course_ you can! But at least let me know you're here! So I don't—"

"Walk into my bathroom in sexy lingerie?" He was staring at her body again.

Fuming, she grabbed the extra towel off the rack and covered herself. She hoped her flushed face showed anger—not flattery.

Blair looked at the shower and remembered her bath again. With a gasp, she ran out of the bathroom, ignoring the thought of giving him another nice back view. She sighed in relief when she saw dry floors and half-filled tub. She looked at her reflection once more and had to close her eyes. Not only was she pink with embarrassment, but her bra and underwear looked much more scandalous than she remembered. They were lace and transparent and didn't leave much to the imagination. She tore them off and climbed into the tub, not caring about the bath salts any more. Once she was fully submerged, she took a breath and slipped her head under water. She could hear the echo of her heartbeat racing furiously and a sound too loud to be her own heart—like her door...

She heard a muffled, "Blair?" and shot her head out of the water.

"_What_?" she snapped.

The door creaked open. "I just brought you your—"

"Don't come in!" she shrieked, struggling to cover both her breasts and lower regions of her body. Water splashed everywhere.

He caught a glimpse of her in the bathtub and shut his eyes. "Sorry! I didn't know—"

"I said _don't_ come in!" He closed the door all but an inch.

She saw him through the crack, eyes closed and looking at the ground. She took the opportunity to study his body; he was now clothed, but his hair was a mess of wet curls. And in an irking twist of fate, her anger turned to guilt when she saw his hands.

He was holding her bath salts.

"Sorry..." he sighed, shaking his head. "I was just bringing your bath stuff."

The guilt was rapidly webbing across her chest.

Quietly, she replied, "It's okay. Just...keep your eyes closed and hand them to me. And I swear to god if I even see a millimeter of your eye..."

Dan's mouth twisted into a smile before slowly opening the door.

"Just hold out your hand," Blair said, hesitantly dropping the arm that was covering herself.

Silence ensued, the only sound coming from the bathwater as Blair moved closer to Dan. Her fingers grazed his as she grasped the glass jar. "Thanks."

"Yeah...and sorry again. I'll just leave you...yeah..." He shut the door quickly and Blair was left alone again.

For the rest of the afternoon, Blair stayed in her room; or, she had planned on it. But by nine o'clock she was positively starving, and her snack from the afternoon no longer filled her hunger.

Padding quietly downstairs, she stopped mid-staircase when she saw a light on in the living room. Dan was sitting on the couch working on his laptop. He looked at her. "Hey." He set his computer on the table.

Knowing she couldn't walk back upstairs _now_, she reached the ground and walked over to stand across from him. "Hey."

Awkward silence stifled the room. He stood up.

"I have an idea," Blair posed quickly, nervous they were now standing eye-to-eye. "Why don't we forget about this afternoon? Forget it ever happened," she said, waving her hand.

"Forget what?"

"The bath salt incident," she said, as if it were obvious.

"But...what if I don't want to?"

The question hung heavy in the air.

"What?" she asked, more breathless than originally planned.

He walked around the coffee table that separated them, never tearing his gaze from her. "What if I don't want to forget about seeing you in lingerie?"

A rush of warmth flooded through Blair. He was walking closer to her.

"Dan—"

She didn't realize she had been moving backwards until her back hit the wall of windows. She looked down and the combination of the drop to the street mixed with Dan's intoxicating scent made her weak in the knees.

"Blair." He was so close to her now; so close that she could feel the heat from his body. "Ever since I saw you in that robe, ever since you said the word _luscious_, ever since I saw you today in—_fuck—_sexy as _hell_ lingerie, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

"Dan—"

"What?" he asked, bringing his hands up to cup her face. He leaned down so his lips were lingering over hers. She could feel his breath against her mouth and if he just went a touch closer—

_Ding!_

The sound pulled Dan back and snapped both of their attentions to the elevator. "B?" a familiar voice called. Blair watched as Serena exited the elevator and walked towards the stairs. She obviously hadn't seen the light on in the living room.

Blair stepped around Dan before Serena could see them. "S?" She was utterly confused to why her friend was here _now_. "I thought you were arriving tomorrow?"

Serena whipped around. "B! I wanted to surprise you!" She engulfed her friend in a hug. "Surprise!"

Blair couldn't help but relax into her friend's arms. "I'm...so happy you're here!"

And she couldn't mean it more. Seconds ago, she was remarkably close to kissing Dan—and when the elevator stopped him, she forced herself to believe it was for the best. She could _not_ like someone she lived with. She could _not _like a man so soon after Chuck. She could _not_ like Dan.

Right?

Dan cleared his throat, reminding Blair that the two didn't know each other. She pulled away from Serena. "S, this is Dan, Dan this is Serena."

A sparkle lit in Serena's eye as she looked Dan over. Reaching her hand out, she gave a dazzling smile. "Nice to finally meet you."

Blair reluctantly looked at him for the first time since he had her against the windows. Her gaze went immediately to his lips. She watched him smile back. "Same. I've heard so much about you."

Blair tore her eyes away from him, hoping it would ease the sick feeling arising within her. "S, have you eaten yet? Are you hungry?" She didn't let her answer before saying, "Let's go to the kitchen." She had to get away from him.

Blair walked quickly into the kitchen, sighing in relief when she heard Serena's footsteps follow. She opened the fridge and reached for the bowl of strawberries.

_Luscious._

She grabbed an apple instead.

"Serena? Are you hungry?" she asked again, retrieving a knife and cutting board from the cabinets.

Serena stood in place, clearly entertained by Blair's actions. "B, what is up with you?" she giggled. "You're all flustery."

"What?" She scoffed. "No I'm not."

"Okay." The amused smile on Serena's face was becoming annoying. "And I'll have an apple too. With peanut butter."

Blair smiled. "Like when we were younger."

"Yup," Serena said, her grin wide across her face.

Once Blair cut up both apples and placed a dollop of peanut butter on each plate, she joined Serena at the island. She bit into the fruit, happy to finally eat. To think what had transpired since coming down for dinner—

"So Dan seems nice," Serena said, cutting off her thoughts. A coy smile played on her lips. "And you're such a liar, B. He is _totally_ hot!"

"Can we not talk about him?"

Serena looked taken back. "Um...sure."

Blair noticed her apprehension. "I just want to chat about _you._ How's Brown?"

And with that, both girls started a night of gossip, stories, and long-overdue catching up. Once they were full, they moved from the kitchen to Blair's room, where they laughed until they both fell asleep on her bed. Their impromptu slumber party brought them right back to their Constance days, and it seemed like they weren't almost college graduates for a night. It was exactly what Blair needed to divert her thoughts of Dan, and she could whole-heartedly say that she had never been so happy to see Serena.

**::**

"_Blair." He was so close to her now; so close that she could feel the heat from his body. "Ever since I saw you in that robe, ever since you said the word luscious, ever since I saw you today in—_fuck_—sexy as hell lingerie, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."_

"_Dan—"_

"_What?" he asked, bringing his hands up to cup her face. He leaned down so his lips were lingering over hers. She could feel his breath against her mouth and if he just went a touch closer—_

_Ring!_

Blair woke with a start, breathing heavily in both lust and frustration. She turned to her phone—the culprit of the interruption—and decided it must be a sign. If Dan couldn't even kiss her in her _dream_, he clearly shouldn't be doing it in real life.

But she'd be lying if she said she didn't want to know what his lips felt like.

Still hearing Serena's steady breathing beside her, Blair quieted her phone and carefully climbed out of bed. After showering and changing quickly, she headed downstairs for some much-needed coffee. She and Serena hadn't even drank that much, but combined with what had occurred with Dan, she felt like she was experiencing the worst hangover of her life.

Reaching the kitchen, she stifled a laugh. Of _course_ he would be up.

He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off with a hand. Breezing past him, she poured herself some coffee, taking her time with adding crème and sugar. Finally, she turned to him and narrowed her eyes. "Yes?"

"Blair, about last night—"

"What about last night?"

He let out a breath. "About what I said—"

"Just because things are in your reach Daniel, doesn't mean they can be yours." Her voice had an unmistakable and unexpected bite to it. She softened. "I think you're a nice guy and I really enjoy being roommates—but that's where it needs to stay. Frankly, I'm glad Serena's arrival stopped whatever was about to happen. Sleeping together wouldn't only complicate things, but would be completely irresponsible of us." She took a small sip of coffee. "Therefore, I think we should stay friends. Okay?" She forced a smile onto her face.

He was silent for a moment. "Blair, I—"

"Morning!" Serena said brightly, walking into the kitchen and interrupting Dan for an irritating second time. Serena looked effortlessly chic in an outfit that she, most likely, just threw on. She hadn't even been there a day and Blair was already feeling the jealousy creep in. "What's on schedule for today?" She poured herself a cup of orange juice and popped a grape in her mouth.

Blair moved her eyes from Dan to the blonde. "Bendels and a day at the spa. And then we're meeting Nate tonight for dinner."

"Oh Natie!" she squealed. "I can't wait to see him!" She turned to Dan. "Will you be coming?"

"Oh no—" Dan started.

"Sure," Blair cut in. "Why not? We're all friends, right?" Her eyes bore into his; if her message wasn't clear three minutes ago, it was now.

Dan sighed and smiled at Serena. "Sure, I'd love to come."

"Great." Blair took the last sip of her coffee. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have some shopping to do. Serena?"

Serena nodded at her cue, following Blair out of the kitchen. Before she was out of sight, she turned around once more. "See you later, Dan." She gave a small wave.

Blair's heart fell at the natural flirtatious tone of Serena's voice. This was going to be a long day.

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><p><strong>AN:** Don't kill me? Review please! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Sorry for taking so long. Real life is getting busier and busier. I'm still fully committed to this though, so don't worry! :) Again, thank you to all those who reviewed. I so appreciate each and every one of them. This chapter is short, but I needed to get over this hump in the story.

Thanks to Spiros, an author who's writing abilities I keel over with envy for. And of course, the extremely talented Sara, who totally and completely rocks.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

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><p><em>I'm being ridiculous<em>, Blair thought, as she watched Serena grind her body up against Dan's. They were both holding drinks in their hands and trying very hard not to spill, although it didn't look to be working. She and Nate had been dragged to this club after dinner, but both weren't in the mood to dance; so instead, they sat at the bar that wrapped around the dance floor.

"Hey," Nate said, nudging her shoulder and speaking close to her ear. "You okay?"

The music was too loud, her feet hurt, and she was certain her head was about to split open from her headache. "Of course," Blair said, flashing her perfected fake grin. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. You just seem...quiet. Not yourself."

"Well maybe I'd be a little more _loud_ if I could get in a word or two."

Nate gave a small smile, knowing what she meant. Dan and Serena had been in nonstop chatter all night. He and Blair had resorted to listening, although he had done a better job at participating in some of the conversation.

"Blair."

She turned away from him and took a sip of her drink.

"Blair."

She continued to ignore him, choosing instead to rub her temples to ease the ache.

"_Blair_."

"What?" she bit out, annoyed by his questioning.

Nate looked at Dan and Serena and lowered his voice. "Are you angry that they're hitting it off?"

She scoffed. "Please. I'm not worried about them. Serena will be obsessed with him for the weekend and forget all about him come Tuesday." She straightened her posture in the barstool.

Nate continued to watch her; she was lying.

"I know your mother Nathanial, and I'm fairly certain she taught you that staring is rude."

He breathed out a laugh and shook his head. "You're impossible."

She gave him a smirk. "I appreciate the concern, but maybe you should worry more about your blonde counterpart over there," she said, gesturing to Serena with a nod. "I think that's her fourth drink."

"Aww B. You know we don't need to step in until her sixth," Nate teased, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

Blair tilted her head to look at him. His eyes were on Serena—and only Serena.

"Nate," she said, capturing his attention. "Do you li—"

"No," he answered quickly.

She pressed her lips together and nodded. "Okay."

Her eyes went back to their friends, who were dancing so out of rhythm, Blair felt embarrassed for them. "So who's the lucky one? Me or you?"

"You," he said automatically, knowing exactly what she was asking.

"Ugh, come on Nate," she whined. "Last time Serena did this _I_ was the one who had to go on the dance floor. You know how much I hate that sweaty, grinding mass of people!" She poked him in the chest before turning him towards the crowd. "Tonight it's _your_ turn." She flashed him a satisfied grin when he slipped off the stool and followed her order.

A smile of defeat was on her lips as she watched him slowly walk into the crowd of people, but it fell when he stopped before Serena and Dan. Her eyes narrowed at the reason—the _girl_—who had made her way over to Nate. Even from her view, she was flirting so shamelessly Blair couldn't help but roll her eyes. She could see the struggle on Nate's face—he wanted to stay and dance with the girl, but he felt Blair's gaze burning into his back. Blair smiled to herself when Nate politely waved the girl off and pulled Serena and Dan off the dance floor.

"B! Why are we leaving? We're having _SO_ much fun!" Serena gave her a look that made her feel immediately guilty.

"It's late S! And I have a headache." Suddenly realizing how pathetic she sounded, she perked up. "Actually, you guys stay. I'll just head home."

"I'll go with you," Nate said, taking the last sip of his drink.

She gave him a grateful smile before saying goodbye to Serena and Dan.

_Don't wait up for us B! _was the last thing she heard before heading in the direction of the door.

**::**

The following morning, Blair awoke early to an empty bed. Fighting tears, she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep, so she grabbed a book and headed downstairs.

Not fifteen minutes later, she heard the sound of footsteps coming closer; she looked at the doorway in time to see Dan appear.

"Oh. I didn't think anyone would be up."

Blair shrugged and tore her eyes away from him, focusing again on the book in her hand. "I woke up and couldn't fall back to sleep."

"Me too. Serena's kind of a crazy sleeper."

If it were _any _other person, Blair would have laughed in agreement, because just the previous night at their sleepover, Serena had woken Blair up five times. She knew what he meant.

But this was _Dan_.

"Daniel do you have a memory problem?"

"Um, _what?_" He raised a brow. "No, I don't think so."

She set her book upside down on the counter and looked him straight in the eye. "If I recall correctly, I gave you a list of rules for staying in this house."

He stayed silent, shrugging a shoulder to urge her to continue.

"You broke one," she said as it were obvious, gesturing with her hands.

"What?" he balked. "No I didn't."

She scoffed. "Serena is upstairs in your room." She pointed to the ceiling.

The list became clearer in his mind. "If _I_ recall correctly, that rule stated that I couldn't have drunken one night stands unless approved by you. So one: I wasn't drunk, Serena was. And two: she's your best friend who is staying here for the weekend. You already approved it. And we're going out again tonight, so it's not a one-night stand."

He looked so proud of himself Blair wanted to scream.

Before she could say anything, he spoke again. "And not that this is any of your business, but we just slept together." Her eyes widened. "That's it—_slept._"

Relief flooded through her, but she kept the same steely face. "Well that's...good to hear. I would hate to see you take advantage of Serena like that." She slipped out of her seat and walked to the sink.

"_Take advan_—what? Blair, I would never," he said, clearly offended. "I know how important she is to you; and I'm not that kind of guy."

She looked away from him. Goddamnit. He was messing with her emotions again. One second she was mad, the next she was jealous, the next she was moved—he was frustrating her to no end.

She cleared her throat. "Then...I'm sorry." She nearly mumbled the last word quietly, but at least she said it.

He smiled, knowing her well enough now to recognize how rarely Blair Waldorf apologized.

She placed her cup in the sink and looked at him. "Take that cocky look off your face Humphrey," she sneered, walking past him. "And would it kill you to put on a shirt?" She left him standing with a grin on his face.

Instead of going back to her room, Blair opened Dan's door and slumped onto his bed next to Serena; she was exhausted from both lack of sleep and Dan. "S!" she sing-songed.

"Go away!" Serena muffled into the pillow.

Blair sighed and ran a hand through Serena's hair. "But it's morning!" she said brightly.

She turned towards Blair. "Ugh, I have such a headache. Why did you let me drink so much last night?"

Smiling sweetly, Blair replied, "S, you are more than capable of exercising self-control. That was all you. And need I remind you that your eyes were only on Dan and your drink?" She cringed. "And that germ-filled dance floor."

Serena groaned.

"I heard you're going out with him again tonight," Blair said quietly, continuing to run her fingers through her friend's tresses.

"Yeah. We had fun last night." Eyes still closed, Serena gave a sleepy smile. A moment later, she opened them. "Oh B! I forgot we had plans!"

She shook her head. "Don't worry about it! Go on your date. I need to meet with my study group anyway."

Serena looked unconvinced. "No, I'll tell Dan we can go out some other time."

Blair pushed the covers back and got out of bed. "When? You leave tomorrow! Don't be ridiculous Serena! I'll be _fine,_" she said, enunciating each word to prove her point. She walked across the hall to her room.

Serena appeared in her doorway a moment later with a hand against her forehead, grimacing at her headache once more. "I promise B. Tomorrow is just you and me, okay?"

Blair paused at making the bed. Smirking, she asked, "Bendels and Barney's?"

Mirroring her smile, Serena laughed. "Where else would we go?"

**::**

As the elevator ascended to the penthouse, Blair looked at the clock on her phone. She sighed when she saw the time; it was just past midnight. Her study group had gone way later than planned, that when she finally sat down to write her sociology paper, she lost track of time. She nearly cried in relief when she remembered again that the following day was a holiday and she wouldn't have any classes. She could sleep in and spend one last day with Serena before she left for Brown.

"Hey B!" Serena dropped Dan's hand. "How was your night?"

Blair gave a tired smile. "Long. My study group consists of people who are incapable of reading and understanding our textbook, so it was mostly me teaching them concepts so simple, it's unbelievable they got into Columbia."

Dan let out a laugh. "So your night was good?"

Blair eyed him before turning her attention to Serena. "How was your night, S?"

A blush bloomed across Serena's face. "It was...nice." She looked at Dan with a smile.

"Yeah we had a nice time," he added.

"Great," Blair said shortly. "Well, I'm exhausted. So...I'll see you guys in the morning."

"I'm right behind ya B."

Blair made her way upstairs, blocking out their whispering below her. As fast as she could muster, she readied for bed, waiting for Serena to come upstairs. Once the lights were off and her facemask on, Serena tiptoed in. In under five minutes, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and threw on pajamas. Silence filled the room after she slipped into the bed, and Blair knew her friend was ready to burst.

"Go ahead," Blair sighed, turning towards Serena and pulling up her mask.

Even through the dark, she could see Serena blush. "I really like him Blair," she whispered. A smile was wide upon her face. "He's...different. In a good way."

Blair's heart fell. As Serena's best friend, she had seen countless guys come in and out of the picture. Whether she slept with them, made out with them, dated them, flirted with them—there were a lot. Every time after a each guy broke her heart, Blair would hand Serena tissues and promise her that a great guy was going to come along and sweep her off her feet.

In a cruel twist of fate—as of now—it seemed that guy was Dan.

She had _never_ seen Serena this smitten before, and as much as she wanted to feel happy for her friend, her blood was fighting to boil in jealousy.

But _no_, she decided inwardly. She would not let this get to her. She had already told Dan that they could not kiss, or become involved, or date. If she was going to get envious over Serena once again, she was going to drive herself crazy.

She had made a choice and she had to stick to it. If Dan wasn't—_couldn't_—be hers, Serena could have him.

"I'm really happy for you S," she said genuinely. "Tell me more about it tomorrow?"

"Okay!" she whispered excitedly.

And with that, Blair turned away from Serena and closed her eyes. She let herself drift to sleep determined to wake up and be happy with her decision—and to somehow figure out a way to be happy for her friends.

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><p><strong>AN:** Have faith in me! :) How was this chapter? _Reviews would be lovely!_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Apologies for my absence. College is getting busier and busier, so I appreciate your patience with the slow updates. Thank you to everyone whom I wasn't able to privately respond to. Your reviews were lovely! Keep telling me your thoughts.

As always, my sincere thanks go to Sara and Spiros. You both rock.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

><p>It had been three weeks since Serena left, although it seemed like she was still there. The new couple—although Blair used that term loosely—were either on the phone or video-chatting at all hours of the day. So much so, that when Serena's voice was still ringing through the walls after midnight one Sunday night, Blair shut the power off. When Cyrus had taught her how to do it just in case any emergency should arise, she had complained the whole time that it had been a waste of his—and <em>her<em>—time.

How wrong she was.

Walking back upstairs with the help of her phone screen, she knocked on the door to Dan's room. When she heard no protests, she opened the door.

"Hey," Dan's voice said through the darkness. "Did the power go out, cause my computer just shut off. I was talking to Serena."

"You were?" she asked, hoping she sounded oblivious. Blair held up her phone to light both of their faces. "Sorry." Her voice was coated with mock-innocence. "Someone on the lower floors must have blown a fuse."

He shrugged. "Whatever. I sort of wanted to get offline anyway."

She leaned against the door frame, her mind overanalyzing what his words meant. Feeling particularly nosy, she cleared her throat and asked, "So how are things going between you two?"

He shrugged again. "I don't know..." He breathed out a laugh. "I mean...we barely know each other. We went on _one_ date."

Dan's lack of enthusiasm was news to her—not only that, but a little worrisome. Serena was positively smitten with him; he seemed barely enthralled.

"What are you trying to say?" she asked warily. "Serena really likes you."

Dan sighed. "Yeah, I know...and I really like her." He shook his head. "I don't know what I'm saying—I shouldn't be telling you this."

She took a step forward, her protectiveness for her friend kicking in. "Dan, relax. I'm not going to run off and call Serena. But I'm also not going to stand here and watch you lead her on. Serena doesn't react like this to many guys. I mean...the only long-term relationship she's ever had was with Nate, and even then she wasn't fully committed."

"Wait, Nate dated _both_ of you?" He shook his head with a smile; Nate had failed to mention this before.

Blair's mouth twisted into a smirk. "Of course. He's our Golden Boy."

She moved over and sat down in his desk chair. "Listen, I've done the long-distance thing before and it's not easy. And the fact that you two barely know each other just makes it harder."

He sighed. "Yeah, I know. And just so we're clear...I wasn't planning on 'leading her on.' I wouldn't do that to her," he clarified.

She nodded absently, thinking how best to form what she was about to suggest. "Maybe...maybe you need to scale things back with her a little. Take the pressure off. I don't want to sound judgmental, but I hardly think Skype is the best way to start a serious relationship."

He chuckled, rubbing his jaw. "Yeah, I agree."

Silence filled the room, followed by darkness when Blair's make-shift flashlight turned off. She fumbled the phone in her hands, pressing a button to illuminate it again. Standing, she said, "Well, I need to go try to figure out how to turn the lights back on."

"Do you need help? Do you even know where the fuse box is?" he joked.

"I found it recently," she deadpanned. "But thanks anyway. Goodnight."

"Night," he returned. Once she had shut the door, Dan rubbed his eyes with his palms. He had to figure out what to do with Serena—and fast.

**::**

The conversation about Serena had been on Blair's mind constantly. In passing, Dan had mentioned a big deadline at work and that he'd be at the office most hours of the day. It had now been three days since she'd had an exchange exceeding _hi_ and _see you later_ with him, and she was impatient with wondering what had transpired since then.

She also didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed at the fact that she had yet to receive a phone call from a sobbing Serena.

Now Wednesday night, Blair collapsed on her bed in utter exhaustion. Even though she had a book to read, a paper to finish, and calls to make, the thought of just lying in bed doing absolutely nothing sounded completely tempting and desirable. For at least a few moments, she wanted to take a mental break of all things Serena and Dan.

She closed her eyes against her better judgment, knowing she would probably fall asleep in minutes. She was still in her clothes from the day—including her shoes—but her lights were dimmed to such sleepy shade...

A bar of tentative knocks rang on her door, opening her eyes before she could succumb to her fatigue.

"Come in," she said with a sigh, not even bothering to get up from her comfortable position.

The door opened slowly, revealing Dan.

"Hey stranger," she teased lightly. "Did you make the deadline?"

"Uh...yeah." He looked her over. "Sorry, were you asleep?"

She shook her head, propping herself up on her elbows. "I would have been in thirty seconds." He opened his mouth in what she assumed would be an apology, but she stopped him. "It's okay. I need to stay awake anyway. I have work to do."

"Oh, okay."

"Do you need something?"

Dan ran a hand through his hair. "No..." Even through the dim lights, Blair could see his cheeks redden. He let out a breath. "I just got invited to this Halloween party on Friday night...this guy from work is throwing it. I sort of hate everyone who's going, but if I don't show up, I'll get hell for it."

"So...you're asking me if you should go?" Blair furrowed her brow.

"No...I'm asking if you want to go with me."

Blair froze, her thoughts immediately going to Serena. Did this mean they were over? "As your date?"

Dan's eyes widened. "No!" he said, louder than planned. He softened. "I mean...no, just as friends. Come on, it'll be fun!"

"I thought you just said you hate everyone who'll be there."

He smiled. "Yeah, I do. But you'll make it less unbearable. And you can make fun of them the whole time...isn't that your favorite hobby?"

She arched a brow.

To try and sway her, he added, "It'll be a costume party..."

"That makes me want to go even less."

His face fell. "Please?"

Truthfully, A night alone with Dan sounded nice. "I'll think about it," she said, giving in. She gave a dramatic sigh. "Now in addition to re-reading _Macbeth _for the third time and writing an eleven page paper, I have to somehow figure out what to wear to this thing. I seriously haven't dressed up in years."

"See? This is perfect. You totally want to go."

She arched a brow. "And where did you get that idea?" she asked, voice high and accusatory.

Tongue in cheek, he replied, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much.'"*

Her jaw dropped. "Don't go quoting _Macbeth _to me."

"Ha! _Macbeth?_ Try _Hamlet_. How many times have you read that play again? Your paper _is_ on _Hamlet_, correct?"

She lifted her chin. "Three. And that quote is totally from _Macbeth_. Frankly, I'm offended by your questioning."

He shook his head, laughing to himself. "Wanna make things more interesting?" His voice was wavering on cocky.

She rolled her eyes. "Because already things are _so_ interesting about this conversation."

Unamused, he crossed his arms. "Let's make a bet. Whoever's right gets to choose our costumes."

She cocked a brow. This _was_ interesting. "Fine," she agreed with a confident smile. "Now shoo. I have some costume brainstorming to do."

**::**

The next morning, Dan was waiting in the kitchen with two cups of coffee and a smile _wide_ upon his face.

She didn't return the smile, instead silently taking the cup he offered.

He looked at her expectantly. "You don't have anything to say?"

"Thank you," she breathed out, holding her cup in the air.

"Anything else?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee to hide his smile.

She rolled her eyes. "_God._ Fine. You were right. I was exhausted, and my memory was clearly fogged. Happy?"

"Hmm...what should you be," he said, slowly rubbing his chin in thought. A smug grin played on his lips. "Sexy nurse? Supergirl? Oh! You would be able to pull of a French Maid pretty well..." His eyes trailed over her form.

"Daniel Humphrey, so help me god. If you even _think_ about putting me in a slutty Snow White costume—"

"Oh that's a good idea—"

Her eyes narrowed. "_Dan._"

"Relax. I'll be nice."

She smoothed out her skirt and gave a curt nod. "Thank you."

His smile was still sly as ever; it made her nervous.

"I'll text you what you need to wear."

"Will I need to buy anything? I really don't have the time nor the energy to go into an adult Halloween store today."

The thought of Blair Waldorf in an adult costume shop was more arousing than he'd care to admit. It was also completely hilarious.

He stifled a laugh. "Too soon to tell. But if you do, I'll get everything for you."

It was noon when his text finally arrived.

_wear all black. head to toe. ;)_

Catwoman, she thought, shuddering. Whatever; at least there'd be alcohol at this party.

All she knew was that she was going to rock it. Although _she_ was the one to stop their kiss—and the possibility of anything happening between them—she was going to show him what he's missing.

They had decided to meet at the party, so when Blair exited the cab outside the building, she searched for Dan in trepidation. She had no idea what he would be wearing, and she was embarrassingly curious to find out.

She bit back a smile when she saw he was dressed as William Shakespeare. Not only was the choice bordering on total writer-nerd, but he also looked rather pleased at his ability to keep showing her who won.

All Dan saw were stilettos.

Jet-black stilettos that made her slim legs look twice as long—especially in the tight leather pants she had chosen. Her long-sleeved top was form fitting and did everything to accentuate her figure, and when she turned to pay the driver, the deep V that revealed her back made his throat dry. She must have done something to her hair, because her curls had more volume than he had seen on her before, and her red bow lips made him almost regret inviting her. Simply because every male's eyes would be glued to her the entire night.

He smiled with joy and relief when he remembered what he had decided on her costume.

She strutted over to him.

"Waldorf."

"William," she said smoothly, letting him know she was onto him.

He smiled.

"Let's not drag this out longer than necessary. Why don't you just hand me my ears and tail and let's go inside."

"Ears and tail?" He paused, smirking. "You think you're going to be a cat?"

She dramatically gestured her outfit with her hand and rolled her eyes. "Yes, I assumed I would be a cat by the all-black ensemble."

Dan chuckled, shaking his head. "You're not a cat; you're my shadow."

Blair lifted her chin an inch, her eyes squinted with curiosity. "I'm your _what?_"

"My shadow," he confirmed. "So if you would please follow me inside, let's get this party over with."

He turned and walked towards the door, holding it open instinctively for her. He looked back for her. Blair was still in the same place on the sidewalk; her arms were crossed and a scowl was painted upon her face.

He held up a hand, waiting for an explanation.

"This is ridiculous!" she exclaimed. "Why can't I be a cat?"

"_Why_ are you so against being my shadow?" he countered back. "You're lucky I'm not making you wear a black ski mask. That would have _really_ completed the shadow effect. Now, _come hither_ Waldorf," he requested in a Shakespearean tone. "My shadow moves with me."

She exhaled loudly and stepped inside the building, swaying her hips as she ascended the stairs to the apartment. Even one floor down they could hear the music blaring—ugh, Katy Perry—and she could already tell it was going to be a long night. Before they could get inside, she looked back at his costume once more. "No one's going to get who you are." He shrugged with a grin.

Dan had been right—the party guests were a complete bore. So she was more than happy when he pulled her to the side to chat amongst themselves.

She knew she looked good—scratch that, _great._ Dan's eyes seemed to rake her body appreciatively every few minutes, and she had definitely garnered more than a few stares from other men. Including one from the very attractive man approaching them.

"Hey Dan—or William Shakespeare—I'm glad to see you made it," the guy said, shaking his hand.

Dan flashed a victory smile to Blair. She scoffed. Of _course_ this guy knew what he was—it was a room full of writers.

"Hey, Sam. Thanks for the invite, I wouldn't miss it." She smirked at Dan's easy lie.

"How'd that deadline go?" Sam asked, eyes moving to Blair.

Dan shrugged, and noticed the subject of Sam's attention. "Came and went; wasn't too bad."

"That's what we hope for," Sam said absently, turning his gaze back to Blair once again. It was obvious the small talk was just to get him an introduction. "Now, who is your lovely friend?"

Blair blushed. "I'm sorry," she said with flirty air, breathing out a nervous laugh. "It seems someone has forgotten his manners." She gave Dan a chiding look.

Dan forced out a laugh, reciprocating her scolding look. "And it seems _someone_ has forgotten what she's dressed as."

"Sexy Catwoman?" Sam guessed, but before she (or Dan) could correct him, he held up a finger. "Hold that thought, let me refill your drink."

Blair surrendered her cup with a sweet smile, which slid to cunning once she looked to Dan. "Last time I checked, it's your friendly duty to introduce a single girl to an attractive guy. I did it for _you_."

"And last time I checked, shadows can't _talk_," he replied back through clenched teeth. "I won the bet Waldorf, fair and square. You play by my rules."

"Ugh, fine," she relented, knowing the rules all too well. "Can we at least get out of here? This party is a total bore. And Sam eyes were bordering on creepy."

"Fine by me," he said quickly, grasping her hand to lead her out. Thankfully, they made it out the door before Sam approached them again.

On the way down the stairs, Dan took a handful of candy from a basket outside one of the apartments. Handing Blair a piece, they both ate the sweets as they walked down the street. "Hey, do you normally get trick-or-treaters at the Penthouse?"

"Don't know, I haven't been there on Halloween the past few years. But I imagine not many, since we're on the top floor. I've never even handed out candy before," she confessed with a laugh.

Dan stopped in his tracks. "I'm sorry, _what?_ That's the best part of Halloween." He looked down the street. "Come on," he said, grasping her hand once more.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Twenty minutes later, they were armed with bags of candy and seated on a bench along her street. Flocks of costumed kids were everywhere, with exhausted parents trailing behind. For the next few hours, Blair and Dan handed out candy to the monsters and witches that passed by.

"What was your favorite Halloween costume from when you were little?" Dan asked, pouring some more wine into their plastic cups.

"When we were eight, Serena was Glinda the Good Witch, and I was the Wicked Witch of the West." She paused. "Although I changed it to the Wicked Witch of the Upper East Side." She laughed and took a sip of her drink. "What about you?

"I made a pretty good Cat in the Hat. And when I was four, I was Peter Pan and Jenny was Tinkerbell."

Blair smiled. "That's cute."

It was quiet again, and she realized that there were barely any kids out still. She wasn't sure if it was the wine, or the sugar-high, but feeling particularly courageous, she nudged Dan's shoulder with hers. "So did you figure out what you're going to do with Serena? Have you talked to her?" She kept her voice light, hoping she didn't sound too interested in the topic.

"Yeah," he sighed, nodding. "We're going to keep getting to know each other, but that's about it. Nothing too serious. Why?"

She stood from the bench, wobbling slightly on her tall heels. "No reason; just curious."

His eyes bore into hers and she felt her body go warm.

"This was fun," she added in genuinely. "Thanks for inviting me."

He kept his gaze. "Yeah, I had fun to."

Silence.

"Well, it's getting late. We should probably go." He nodded wordlessly and after collecting the candy, followed her up to the Penthouse.

Standing outside their doors, they lingered for a moment. "Well, goodnight," Blair said, turning towards her room. But before she could take on step, Dan turned her around.

Leaning in slowly—almost in slow motion—he placed a kiss on her cheek. She let out a squeak of surprise.

"Night." His voice was a deep whisper, his breath tickling her ear. The feeling shook through her veins.

And then he was gone.

Frozen in place, Blair realized that things just got way more complicated.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** How was that? :) Review please!

* _Hamlet_, _Act III, Scene II, lines 230. And it's actually: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone who reviewed. And as always, my special thanks goes to Spiros and Sara, two fabulously talented writers. :)

**And one last important note: this is definitely M.**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

><p>Ever since he kissed her—okay, it was the cheek. But still! Dan had totally upped his game.<p>

They had been dancing around each other all week and it was making her nuts. Ever since he cooled things off with Serena, he had made it a point to drive her crazy.

He would come in her room with a towel wrapped low on his waist, asking for soap. He was "out" of it.

He brought her home chocolate covered strawberries from a market he frequented, wrapped in a package. It wasn't lost on her that those three things—chocolate, strawberries, and presents—were on her "turn-on" list.

And whenever they were near each other, he would brush her side or kiss her cheek again—he was always _touching _her.

At least he hadn't brought out the guitar, she thought with a sigh. She didn't know how much longer she could resist him. He was reeling her in and dangerously close to catching her.

Coming home late from a study group and dinner, Blair was prepared for another night of witty banter and sly flirting, as it was their new norm.

She found him in the kitchen, elbows resting on the island nose deep in a cookbook.

"What are you making?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Cookies. "

She arched a brow. "What kind?"

"Oatmeal chocolate chip," he answered, without looking up from the cookbook. When he didn't hear her respond, he looked at her. "Want to help?"

"Sure," she said smiling, dropping her purse to walk and stand next to him at the counter.

As they prepared the ingredients, they made casual small talk about their day. After mixing the eggs, sugar, vanilla, butter, and cups and cups of oats, Blair took the honor of pouring the chocolate chips in the bowl. She kept a few to eat on their own while Dan stirred everything together.

She loved watching him cook. Loved the way his face got serious and focused on the task at hand, while looking completely relaxed at the same time. Whether it be cracking an egg or mixing the ingredients, his face showed total calmness. Even now, while he stirred the dough around, he made it all look effortless.

And sexy. He looked really fucking sexy when he cooked.

Once they rolled the batter into balls and placed the pan in the oven, they stood with the bowl of leftovers.

She leaned over to look in the bowl, her body pressed into his side. Sticking her finger in, she scraped up a dollop of dough to taste the concoction for herself. "Mmm," she moaned, eyes fluttering at how delicious it was.

Dan didn't even know how to react. His mouth went dry; his pulse quickened; warmth flooded through him. "Good?" he managed to choke out.

She nodded, smile on her face. Feeling bold, she took the spatula and scooped some up. Leaning forward, she brought the utensil to his mouth and fed him a small bite of dough, watching his lips roam over the lip.

_Fuck it_, she thought as she dropped the spoon on the counter. The sound it made as it hit the marble didn't faze her as she leaned up to kiss him square on the mouth. She pulled away after a moment, in disbelief that she finally had done it. She had finally kissed him. But it wasn't nearly for long enough.

Dan's eyes were still on her mouth, and before she could kiss him again, he pressed his lips to hers. Snaking his arms around her waist, he kissed her agonizingly slowly, while raking his fingers through her curls.

When she felt his tongue trace her bottom lip, she parted her mouth to allow it to meet hers. She was overcome by the taste of him; the smell of him; the feel of him. She leaned in closer, wanting to be as near to him as possible, and was thankful he got the message. He took her cue and picked her up to sit her on the counter, hands roaming down the center of her back. She let her legs wrap around him and let out a whimper when his lips left hers. She gasped when she felt where his mouth was headed, eyes fluttering once more when he began raining wet kisses down her neck.

"Dan," she breathed out, drawing his mouth back up to hers. He tasted like chocolate and she was utterly addicted. She could never get enough of him.

He moved his hand to her front, cupping the swell of her breast and then kneading it softly. Her back arched instinctively, and she couldn't help but let out another soft moan. She didn't want to stop kissing him, but she needed air. Reluctantly, she broke the kiss.

They were still close; Blair could feel the panting of his breath on her face. Lust was still flaming in his eyes, and she couldn't help but place another soft kiss on his lips. He deepened it in an instant, but before it could go any further, the oven timer chimed.

Dan pulled away to turn it off, but Blair grabbed the lapels of his jacket before he could get too far. She swiftly pulled him back into her again, and he relented; her flushed cheeks and swollen lips made it easy to. The timer _dinged _a second time.

"Blair," Dan mumbled against her lips.

"_Dan,_" she gasped.

He pulled his head back and cupped her cheek. "The cookies are going to burn," he whispered seriously, but in reality wanted to stay right where he was.

"Let them burn," she drawled, leaning into him again.

He chuckled, placing a peck on her pout before backing away. Blair watched as he searched for an oven mitt in the drawers, before taking the cookies out of the oven to place them on the marble. She slid off the counter and walked up behind Dan, embracing him from behind. Her face buried in the borough of his spine, breathing him in and going over what had just transpired in her mind. He felt her smile against him.

After a few moments, she craned her neck around his waist to inspect the cookies. "Perfect," she said, before stepping away to get something to lift them off the pan. She opened the utensil drawer and smiled. Dan had added many things to this kitchen, and his pancake flipper was one of them.

After they were cooled and on the plate, the both sampled their creation; she was tempted to say the cookies were better than the dough, but...well...

Her gaze went to his mouth as she remembered what the cookie dough had led to.

She had never been this _wanted_ before. It was both terrifyingly exciting and thrillingly sexy.

She looked at the clock to snap herself out of her thoughts. "It's getting late," she said matter-of-factly, hating that she most likely killed the mood.

He cleared his throat. "Uh...yeah. It is." For the next few minutes, they placed the extra cookies in tupperware and cleaned the dishes and utensils they used. Blair blushed while she cleaned the spatula; both their lips had been on it moments earlier, and she sort of hated washing it off.

They didn't speak again until they were standing outside of their rooms. Both were closed shut, and it felt like that awkward front door moment. Except this time, there were _two_ front doors.

"Well you certainly know how to make a good cookie," Blair finally said, fighting the urge to cringe at herself. Why did he always make her nervous? "They were delicious," she added as an afterthought.

"Yeah..." His gaze dropped to her lips. "They were."

And then she was up against her door in an instant, his lips capturing hers possessively. Her hands gripped head, forcing his mouth to stay exactly where it was and help keep her standing on her feet.

As he explored her mouth once more, he wrapped his arms around her slim waist, then slowly up the bending curve of her back. The appreciative noises she was making kicked his raw desire into overdrive, and he didn't even have time to think about what this would cause between them. All he knew was that he wanted more of her—and in every way possible.

Their lips still fused together, he fumbled blindly for her doorknob. He was encouraged that she didn't protest once the door was open; in fact she was quite the opposite. She whimpered with impatience and need as she tore at his jacket and shirt, trying to discard them as quickly as possible. Once accomplished, he dropped his mouth to her neck, expertly applying kisses while ridding her of her shirt and bra.

He led her so that she lay back on the bed, groaning once he saw how far her skirt had ridden up her thighs. Clad in only his boxers now, he crawled up next to her and kissed his way up her body. She mewled when she felt his lips travel from her breast to her clavicle, hips canting instinctively upwards. The motion grew his arousal by tenfold, and within seconds, her skirt and panties were peeled off. With a devilish smirk, she pushed down his boxers and guided him inside her. They both moaned in unison at the tight feeling; it seemed like the foreplay had last for weeks—beginning the moment he moved in.

Blair rocked against him eagerly, matching his fast rhythm and brushing her mouth against his from the movement. With each thrust, their breaths grew more ragged and needy. Blair felt Dan reach down between them, rubbing where they were connected, and couldn't help but cry out. Hearing her chant his name as she clenched around him sent Dan over as well, making them both shudder against each other in ecstasy. As they came down from their high, he stayed on top of her, chest heaving against hers. After some time, he rolled off to the side to lie beside her.

_What now?_ Blair thought, once her breath was finally normal. She held in a sigh of frustration, hating the thoughts that filled her mind after what had just been the best sex of her life. But she couldn't help it. Should she let him sleep in her bed? If she did, then this thing between them would escalate into full-on relationship territory. But if he left, she would feel cheap.

And she would miss him.

"What are you thinking about?" Dan asked breathily, studying her face. He was lying on his side, his elbow holding up his weight. He reached over and tucked a curl behind her ear.

"I'm thinking about _this_. And what we should do about it. And if I should let you sleep here...in my bed." She enunciated slowly. "With me."

He groaned and leaned over to bite her shoulder. Lips still against her, he mumbled, "Would you stop thinking for just one fucking second? Enjoy this."

She started to laugh, but then felt his tongue meet her skin. A gasp escaped her lips instead. "_Dan._"

He looked up at her with a sexy grin. "And besides," he said, snaking his hand between her legs and causing her to mewl once more. "Who said anything about sleeping?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm hesitant to change the rating to M...but we'll see. How was this chapter? :) There is much much more ahead. Like Serena.

_Review please!_


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Hmm, let's see. I've been busy with college, designing a logo, and surviving withdrawal from a piano. I apologize for taking so long between updates. I'll keep saying what I've been saying for months: Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing. I love them to pieces, and appreciate you taking the time to tell me your thoughts.

As always, thank you to Spiros & Sara, both of whom nudge me to keep writing. My best stuff always comes from those hour-long writing sessions, so thank you both.

And to my Dair friends on Chatzy: I don't go on as often as I'd like, but you all motivate me to keep writing for this fabulous couple :)

I've decided to stick with the T rating, but with disclaimers. So...again, there is some **M stuff in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own GG or any of its characters.

* * *

><p>Blair awoke the next morning to the sound of her own moans. Her back arching, she could barely register where Dan's mouth was as pleasure rippled through her. His skilled tongue was relentless and magnificent, and when she heard him groan into her, she felt the pressure begin to build. It was only a moment later that he hit the sweet spot that snapped her, completely sending her over the edge. She gripped the sheets as she rode out the waves of pleasure, crying out his name. Her whole body was humming and tingling with ecstasy and the best relief possible.<p>

Completely sated and spent, she could only smile when she felt him shift below her. He kissed his way up her body, until he finally landed on her lips. "Good morning," he mumbled, brushing his nose to hers.

"Hmm..." she murmured against his lips. "Morning." She opened her mouth against his, granting him access to meld his tongue against hers. She could get used to this wakeup.

He moved to lie beside her and pulled her close.

"We should get up," he said, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"Why?" she whined playfully, rolling on top of him. "It's Saturday." She kissed his ear. "No classes." His nose. "No Dorota." His cheek. "Just me." His lips. "And this bed," she whispered saucily, and he couldn't help but roll on top of _her_ and fuse his mouth to hers. She groaned at the contact, but whimpered when he pulled away.

"Waldorf. If I don't get out of this bed now, I never will."

"I _know_," she teased, running her hands down his chest. "That's a good thing."

"This is becoming a very bad cycle," he chuckled. "And as much as I hate saying this, I think we should make some ground rules."

"Ground rules?" she said warily, not liking it already.

"Yes."

"Like what? And...why?"

"Blair, we can't stay in bed all day and have sex every time we're together."

"I know," she scoffed. "We're not animals Dan."

"Says the woman who practically attacked me in the kitchen," he said dryly, smirking at her perfectly cocked brow.

"Like you weren't begging for it."

"Blair..." he breathed out. "I know we haven't discussed what _this_ is yet, but if we take _this_ any further, maybe I should..." He took a breath. "Move out."

"No!" she shouted, her face immediately blushing. "I mean..." She cleared her throat. "You can't move out now. I've gotten used to having someone in the house. And besides...I am more than capable of exercising self-control around you. So please...don't go."

"Okay." He leaned down to kiss her pout. "But let's take this slow. Try and act like a two people who are dating, but don't live with each other."

"Go on normal dates at a normal pace."

"Yes."

She smiled. "Okay."

"The only difference is, I go home with you after the date—even if it's a bad one."

She smacked his shoulder lightly. "As long as your dating Blair Waldorf, there will be no bad dates. Got it?" she sneered gently.

He brushed his lips to hers. "Got it."

**::**

"I'm taking you out on a real date tonight," Dan said the next morning as he walked into the kitchen. The previous day had been filled with movies and make-outs. Like Blair promised, they both exercised enough self-control to get out of bed for the day. And to drive the point home, she forced them to shower and get dressed, and refused to sleep with him that night. However tempting it was to have sex again—and it _was_—she knew Dan was right. If they were going to make their new relationship work, they would need to set some boundaries. And so they watched movies, cooked, and made out like insatiable teenagers.

Immediately interested, she set down the newspaper. "You are?"

"Yup," he said while pouring himself some coffee. "So be ready at five."

She bit her lip in excitement. "Okay!"

He started to walk out of the room.

"Wait!" Blair called, stopping him in his tracks. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to my dad's for a bit."

Blair tried to mask her disappointment; she thought they'd spend the day together. "Oh, okay. I'll see you later then."

He turned and walked over to where she was sitting, watching her smile wider the closer he came. Kissing her dimpled cheek, he repeated again, "Five." And with a wink, he was gone.

**::**

_Where the hell is he?_ Blair thought as she walked around her room. It was 4:55 and Dan was nowhere to be seen. He had come back from his dads a few hours earlier as she was jumping in the shower, but when she got out, he was gone.

During the brief five-minute period they had seen each other in, he had kissed her quickly and told her to dress casually. "Wear jeans," is actually what he really said, but Blair preferred to call it casual.

As she was applying a last-minute touch-up to her lips, she heard the phone ring. She rushed over and answered it.

"Ms. Waldorf?"

"This is she."

"This is George from downstairs. I have a guest waiting for you in the lobby, Ma'am."

Blair bit her lip and smiled. "Thank you, George. I'll be right down."

Five minutes later, Blair held in a squeal when she saw Dan. He was standing near the front entrance holding a bouquet of mums.

He eyed Blair appreciatively as she walked closer to him. She was wearing skinny jeans, like he'd suggested, and smoky grey blouse. He was glad to see she was wearing a peacoat; the air had a chilly bite to it, and they would be outside most of the evening.

"I was afraid you were standing me up," she teased, blushing at his gaze on her.

"Never," he laughed. "I just figured if we were acting like two people dating that don't live with each other, I might as well pick you up the normal way."

"It was a nice surprise," she said, standing on her toes to kiss him.

When they separated, Dan smirked. "Plenty more surprises tonight. So if you would follow me..."

And surprise number one took her off guard. He had led her to his dad's old VW and after looking at it uneasily for five minutes, he convinced her it was safe enough to be a passenger in. Again.

"Where are you taking me?" she questioned as they drove further out of the city and onto the highway.

"Waldorf, why are you acting like I'm kidnapping you?" He reached over and took her hand.

She softened. "Sorry. I just never venture out of the city often. Unless I'm going to Europe or the Hamptons—" Her jaw dropped in realization. "You're taking me to the Hamptons?"

He gave a boyish grin that made her get out of her seat and plant a kiss on his cheek. "The beach is sometimes better in the offseason."

Knowing the plans now, Blair relaxed. With her hand still in his and an old album playing through the speakers, she watched the sun begin to set as they drove towards their final destination.

As they crawled down the main street, Blair realized immediately that they were not going to Cece's house. It somehow made the whole thing more special.

A few minutes later, Dan pulled up to one of the few shops open and told her to wait in the car. He came out holding a temperature-controlled bag and she frowned at not being able to tell what was inside.

Another short drive later and they were at the beach. He handed her the bag (which ended up being zipped shut and un-peekable) and when she followed his instructions to pick any spot, she noticed the order form attached to the bag. Although it did not say what they actual order _was_, it did say the date it was ordered on. Two days ago. Before their cookie night.

Regardless of the possibility of having sex or not, he had planned to ask her out.

When he joined her a moment later, armed with thick blankets and a basket, she dropped the bag and kissed him square on the mouth. "This is perfect," she said breathlessly.

He pulled back in surprise, not expecting her reaction. He smiled. "I'm glad."

After settling their blankets and pouring two glasses of Chardonnay, Dan gestured for a toast.

"To doing things in order for a change."

Blair smiled and clinked her glass to his. After savoring a sip, she asked, "So, what's on the menu?"

And so Dan laid out the spread he had ordered, all going along with the theme of their location. Thankfully, the temperature-controlled bag had kept everything perfectly warm, and so the lobster bisque was still exceptionally hot. Paired with warm, rustic bread, a light salad, and rosemary chicken—everything was delicious.

Only Dan Humphrey could get her to eat on the beach, without a table or proper chair. And she loved it.

"I don't think I've ever gone on a picnic before," she confessed after they had finished eating. They were now lying side by side on the blanket, with another wrapped around them. The air was chillier than it had been when they arrived, but the wind was still. But the mixture of Dan's warmth and the hot chocolate in the thermoses he had packed kept her nice and toasty.

"Without all the city lights, the stars are so much brighter."

"Brighter? How about actually _there?_ I sometimes forget they even exist," Dan said laughing, while he pulled her closer.

"So Daniel, any more surprises tonight?" Her head now resting on his shoulder, she tilted up to look him in the eyes.

"Actually," he smiled. "There is."

He slowly moved out from under the blanket, and Blair gasped when the cold air hit her. After wrapping her up once more, he looked down at her. "Close your eyes."

She heard him rustle in his pocket for his keys and frowned. He needed to get something for the car. The combination of him off the beach for a moment mixed with her eyes closed in the pitch black made her uneasy.

"Talk to me," she called out.

Sensing her anxiety, he answered, "I'll be right there. It's only us." He shut the car door loudly to signal his departure back to her.

Before she could demand when she could look, her eyes flew open in surprise at what she heard.

A guitar.

She gasped, sitting up on the blanket and following the shadowy figure walk closer to her.

"_Oh,"_ was all she could say.

He continued playing as he walked, and didn't stop even as he sat down. She couldn't recognize the melody—it almost sounded as if he were making the song up as he played. But that didn't matter.

What mattered was the way his fingers moved. Those talented fingers. The same fingers that raked through her curls when they kissed, or made her moan with pleasure in the morning, or stirred the pot of the world's best bolognese.

They were also capable and responsible for creating beautiful music. Her gaze was frozen on him. And when she pulled her eyes away from his hands, she studied his face. He wasn't looking at the notes he was playing, or strings he was pressed against, but a spot in the sand. He was focused on what the song sounded like, as opposed to how it was played. And as he strung the last note, he looked at her, and they shared the same smile.

"Dan..." She didn't know what else to say.

She saw him blush through the darkness. "Did it sound okay?"

"O...okay?" She sputtered. "It was phenomenal!"

He cocked his head. "Did it turn you on?" he teased with a smug grin.

She would have rolled her eyes at his childish question had it not been so true. Yes, it had definitely turned her on.

Wordlessly, they gathered up the blankets and threw everything into the basket. Grabbing her hand, he led her back to the car and drove quickly to the first B&B they saw open. With little words, they both decided they didn't care about work or classes the next day. Or the fact that they didn't have pajamas. They wouldn't need them anyway.

They were barely in the room before Dan had Blair's shirt off. Their movements were frantic and heated, both desperate for each other's touch. This was different from the weekend. They already knew each other's bodies, had already been introduced and acquainted to every crevice, curve, and fold. This was about her being inside him in as little time as possible.

It wasn't long before they were finally there; finally in that place that made them both release a moan in pleasure at the sensation. They panted against each other as they rocked together, leaving wet, open-mouthed kissed on every surface of skin they could reach. And finally, sooner than they wanted, they both reached the edge. They came together, clawing at each other's backs, and screaming each other's names. And once their breath settled, they stayed wrapped around each other until they succumbed to sleep.

**::**

The next morning, after they had breakfast, they went for a quick walk on the beach. Which turned into Dan picking Blair up and pretending to throw her in the water. After enough shrieks to scare every seagull away and threatening to abstain from sex, kissing, and you-name-it, he finally put her down.

"I'm still mad at you," she said with an adorable pout, thirty minutes later as they were driving back to the city.

"I'm too good-looking to stay mad at."

She rolled her eyes and looked at the scenery as they passed it, sharing random memories from childhood summers with Serena. She turned to Dan. "Oh, I forgot to tell you," Blair said, the topic of her friend suddenly reminding her. "Serena wants us to come visit her at Brown."

He looked at her, then back at the road. "Really? When?"

She shrugged. "Next weekend. Apparently there's some football game of great importance and she thinks it'll be fun for us to go. With it being our senior year, lots of her friends are getting awards or something. I don't know." She looked down at her lap. "You don't need to go if you don't want. I think Natie may come too."

"No," he said earnestly. "I'll go. It'll be fun." He flashed a smile.

"Okay." She smiled back. "It'll be a nice change of scenery; much like last night," she said, smiling at the memory.

"So are we making it..._known_ that we're dating?"

"Hmm..." She looked uneasy. "No."

"Are you sure?"

She scoffed. "Of course I am. I don't think we need to be showing up at Brown totally rubbing it in Serena's face. You two may have broken things off amicably and on the same page, but that doesn't mean I get to be insensitive of her feelings."

"Hey." He held up his hands in defense. "I'm not fighting with you on that. I actually agree with you."

She sighed in relief. "Good, so we'll keep it to ourselves."

"Okay," he agreed. "It'll be fun; I kind of like the secretive aspect of it."

She smirked. "I suppose." But the smirk slipped away just as quickly. And for the rest of the ride, Blair anxiously thought about how the next weekend was going to go. And how the hell she was going to pretend she wasn't dating—_let alone have sex with_—Dan.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** How was this chapter? I know I've been teasing Serena's return for weeks, but it's definitely in the next chapter. Right now, I'm planning on two more chapters & an epilogue. The end is nearing :) _**Review please!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own GG or any of its characters.

* * *

><p>The week passed by quickly, and before they knew it, they were on the train to Providence. Blair nearly died when Dan had brought up the idea to take the train. But after mentioning that there was WiFi and zero chance of traffic, Blair was sold.<p>

Sitting on the train, Dan texted Nate which car they were in. Minutes later, they heard, "Hey guys!" Blair looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

"You're seriously going to wear that?"

"You're just jealous Serena didn't send you one," he said, proudly clad in a Brown sweatshirt and baseball hat.

"I can assure you that is _not_ the case," Blair grimaced, relaxing against her chair.

They had conveniently grabbed a set of quad seats, two opposite another pair, so Nate sat down across the small table from them. He pulled out his iPod, while Blair and Dan pulled out books. When they were an hour outside the city, Nate pulled the earphone buds out of his ears and placed his clasped hands on the table.

"So...?" he said.

Confused, Blair set her book down on the table, and noticed Dan had done the same.

"What?" Dan asked.

"So are we telling Serena you guys are going out, or are we keeping it a secret?"

Blair's jaw dropped. "You _know?_"

"I'm smarter than you think I am," he retorted with a grin.

"We're keeping it a secret," she snapped, picking up her book and ignoring the chuckles coming from the two men sitting with her. Focusing on her page once more, she allowed herself to take Dan's hand and set it in her lap. If their relationship was out in the open to him, she was going to take full advantage of it.

**::**

They were greeted by the same bouncing, gleaming, gorgeous Serena they were used to. When she saw her three friends step off the escalator from the track, she practically squealed. Bringing in Blair for a hug, she whispered, "I'm so glad you're here!"

Once they got their bearings, they made the short walk up the hill to main campus. Even for this late November day, it was a gorgeous day; it was chilly, but the cloudless baby blue sky and shining sun took the bite out of the air. The trees still held onto the last of their leaves, while the rest hovered the grass in colorful piles. Brown's autumn was picturesque. Blair suddenly felt guilty about not making the trip up here in the three years before.

"So what are the plans for the afternoon?" Blair asked, still taking in the scene of the quad around her.

"Well _first_ I will show you my apartment so you can drop your bags." She began to lead them away from the quad and towards a building. "Then we can walk around before the game. Sound good?"

Blair sighed, but a genuine smile still graced her lips. "Ah, the game. I forgot about that part."

Serena threw her head back in a laugh. "B! It'll be fun! Your _first_ football game!" Serena grabbed her hand and led her through the front door of her building, and after a quick elevator ride, they all piled into her apartment.

The apartment was tiny, but Serena and her roommate had obviously made use of every nook and cranny—it still seemed like there was a place for everything. The front door opened into a small hallway that brought them right into the kitchen; the open floor-plan showed them that there was a small family room. Two vintage, mismatched couches were adjacent in the corner, while a hutch housed the plasma tv. The walls were white—most likely due to building rules—but they were barely noticeable thanks to the frames of pictures and paintings that adorned the walls. Even from the kitchen, Blair could spot herself in a few photos; she had the same ones framed in her bedroom. The only other rooms were the bedrooms; Serena's was off the kitchen to their left, while her roommate's was to the right.

Looking around, Blair felt a pang of something she wasn't expecting—jealousy. She loved Columbia and New York, and didn't regret her college or living decision at all. But this was something she'd never be able to experience. The classic, quintessential college with rolling greens and football games, and small apartments and dorms that were the exact opposite of the Penthouse. Even here for the weekend, it seemed like a drastic culture shock, and Blair admired the effortless way Serena had handled it all. Blair didn't know if she'd be able to pull it off so naturally.

But if she had all _this_, she wouldn't have Dan.

"This place is great, Serena," Dan said, interrupting her thoughts.

"It really is S," Blair added in.

Serena smiled proudly. "Thanks! It's not New York...but it does feel like home."

After their bags were placed in her room, Blair unzipped hers and reached for a warmer sweater.

"Oh I almost forgot!" Serena's voice exclaimed, halting Blair's motion. "I have a present for you, B!"

Gasping in excitement, Blair sat on the bed and followed her friend's instructions to close her eyes.

"Okay...open!"

Blair bit her lip to stop herself from saying something she would regret. Instead, she shook her head and sighed in amusement. She should have seen this coming.

"Try it on! Let me see if it fits!"

Blair pulled the garment over her head and walked in front of the mirror. In big white letters the word _Brown_ stared back at her.

"I knew you'd give in," Nate chuckled from the doorway. He turned into the kitchen and called, "Dan, look at what Blair's wearing!"

Continuing to take it all in stride, Blair placed her hands on her hips and sauntered over to the boys. Spinning slowly, she modeled the sweatshirt for them, rolling her eyes at the cat-calls she earned.

She really wanted to hate it, but it was honestly the most comfortable thing she'd ever worn.

After Serena put hers on and threw a sweatshirt at Dan too, the foursome made the trip back down the elevator. Blair thought they looked ridiculous—all four were in matching sweatshirts and jeans—but she soon realized Brown wasn't the place where people scrutinized others' clothing.

They followed the masses and made their way to the football field. In the parking lots outside, tailgates were everywhere; Serena spotted a few friends with a keg, and handed plastic cups of beer to everyone. Blair declined with a wave of her hand, but took a sip of Dan's when Serena wasn't watching.

After buying popcorn and a second round of beers, they crawled up the stadium sets and sat down. By the time Dan had explained the game of football to Blair, the first quarter was over. But now knowing the rules, Blair found herself completely immersed in the game. The sips of Dan's drink had loosened her up and just the fact that she was in the company of all her closest friends had her cheery and in good spirits.

The rest of the game passed by all too quickly. All four swapped places no less than ten times; once Blair got sick of Dan and Nate's commentary, she moved next to Serena for much-needed girl talk. Serena pointed out guys from her classes she saw in the stands, and Blair gave her approval (or disapproval) of them. Nate and Serena tried to start a wave, but failed miserably, Dan made Blair eat a hot dog, but failed miserably...and Brown won.

All a little buzzed, they stumbled back to Serena's apartment, ordered pizza, and put on a movie. They ended up ignoring the movie and chatted instead, until the day finally wore them out and they finally fell asleep.

**::**

The next morning, Blair awoke at the crack of dawn in great need of Advil and coffee.

Throwing on a clean pair of jeans and her comfy Brown sweatshirt, she tiptoed out of the room. After unsuccessfully finding both coffee and pain relievers, she rubbed her temples to ease the throbbing ache in her head.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" Blair looked up to see a sleepy-headed Serena wearing the exact same outfit she had on.

"I don't know actually," Blair said, quietly laughing as to not wake the guys. "But why do you not have coffee or _anything_ to heal a headache?"

Serena scrunched her nose. "Sorry. But why don't we head out and get breakfast and Advil?"

"Okay," she agreed, looking forward to spending time with just her. "The guys can fend for themselves."

Serena linked arms with Blair as they walked down Thayer Street, finally deciding on a small café after they stopped at the pharmacy. The Advil paired with fresh fruit and coffee did just the trick to perk them both up. Both Dan and Nate had texted both girls asking where they were, and no less than ten minutes later they joined them.

"Morning girls. So nice of you to wake us up to have breakfast," Nate chided, walking up to the table.

"I'm not going to apologize for wanting one-on-one time with my best friend. Sorry!" Blair said sweetly, biting into a pastry.

Nate's smile dropped. "Is that a chocolate croissant?"

Blair took another bite and handed it to him, before finally looking over to Dan. "And you? Did you wake up on the same side of the bed as Nate?"

He shook his head. "No, but I could use some Advil."

"What the hell is wrong with you three?" Serena laughed. "You're acting as though you've never had a drink before—and you _barely_ had three beers."

They all shrugged, not putting up a fight, and instead finished their breakfast quickly. Serena continued the role of tour guide for the day, as she showed them more of the campus and the city of Providence. Hours later, after showering and changing out of their sweatshirts and jeans into nicer clothes, they all walked to Thayer Street again to have dinner.

Hiding their relationship from Serena was proving to be more difficult than Blair had anticipated. If she hadn't been so paranoid about Serena finding out, she would have been slightly insulted. She thought Serena knew her enough by now to know that she was hiding something. But she didn't even care anymore. The truth was...she _missed_ him. And yet she'd been in his presence the entire time they'd been at Brown.

Even now, as she stared across the table at Dan, the same thoughts invaded her mind again. How the hell was she supposed to get through the next twenty-four hours acting like nothing was going on between them? He'd seen her naked. She'd seen _him_ naked. And they'd kissed and explored every inch of each other's bodies...

"Blair?" Dan's voice said, snapping her back to the table. His hand was on her shoulder and she flushed at how her body reacted to him. Heat spread through her veins, tingling her down from her back to her toes, and she had to reach to her water glass to cool herself down.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something," she said taking a sip, hoping her voice didn't drip with guilt.

She felt him take her hand under the table and when she nonchalantly glanced over at him, she saw him wink.

It just continued to get worse—especiallynow. Last night, they had all been so tired; they'd fallen asleep in seconds. But tonight?

She was in the bed with a snoring Serena. Nate was on the couch. And Dan was on the floor.

Right next to her.

With _no_ shirt on.

She sighed, completely restless and—quite honestly—a little sexually frustrated. She shifted in the bed and looked down at him.

"Dan," she whispered.

Silence.

She whispered again. "Dan!"

Silence.

Sighing, she peeled back the covers and quietly exited the room, closing the door behind her. She made her way into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and poured herself a glass of water. As she sipped it, Blair eyed the bowl of Hershey Kisses on the counter. Giving in, she took three. If she wasn't getting sex tonight, she was certainly going to indulge in _something._

After eating the Kisses, she heard the door creak open. She quickly threw away the wrappers and looked up. Her heart resumed pounding again once she realized it was just Dan. Rolling her eyes, she whispered harshly, "Oh, so _now_ you decide to wake up?"

He smirked and tiptoed over to her. "You obviously didn't realize that when you got out of bed, you stepped on my fingers." He held up the hand in question and she frowned.

"Sorry," she said with a sad pout, taking his hand and kissing every finger.

"What are you doing up?" he asked, smiling at her affection towards his injury.

She sighed. "I couldn't sleep."

"Why is that?" He picked her up and set her down on the center island. She locked her ankles around his back and curled her arms around his neck.

Bringing him closer to her, she whispered in his ear. "It was weird sleeping so close to you and not _with_ you." She kissed his ear and gasped when she felt him do the same to her.

He cocked a brow. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"So you decided to come out here and eat Hershey Kisses?"

She gasped. "I did _not_—"

He leaned in and kissed her, sucking on the lip with leftover chocolate on it. "Don't lie."

She blushed and gave him a wicked smile. "Well I had to satisfy myself _somehow_."

Groaning, he pulled her in for another searing kiss. She was delicious; she still tasted like chocolate and her curls were ruffled and messy. Not to mention, the thought of secretly ravishing her with Serena and Nate just through the wall was exhilarating.

Her pajama strap had fallen off her shoulder and looked too tempting to resist. Dropping his mouth to her skin, she arched against him and gasped at the sensation.

She moaned, _"Oh my god—"_

"OH MY GOD!"

Her voice was like a bucket of ice water. Startled, Blair and Dan jolted away from each other and whipped their heads in the direction of the voice.

A gaping Serena stood in the kitchen doorway, eyes wide with shock.

"What is this?" she cried, and through the silence they heard a groaning Nate.

"Keep it down!" the muffled voice called.

Serena rolled her eyes. "Shut up Natie!"

Dan looked slightly panicked. "Serena, we can explain—"

"How the hell is this happening?" She looked to Blair. "How much did you drink tonight?"

Blair scoffed. "I had _one_ glass of wine! And this is not a drunken hook-up!"

Serena's eyes widened again, but her voice somehow remained at a normal pitch. "It's not?"

Sliding off the counter, Blair walked closer to her friend. "No, S." She looked over to Dan. "We've been quietly...seeing each other these past few weeks."

"Define 'weeks,'" Serena asked, pointedly referring to the beginning of October.

Dan chose this moment to jump in. "_Way_ after I was seeing you. I wouldn't do that."

She let out a small sigh, relieved that _that_ wasn't happening to her again—by her best friend, no less.

Uncomfortable silence ensued, until Serena looked confused. "Wait..." She turned to Blair. "I thought you said you didn't like him. If I remember correctly, you said he _'wasn't attractive.'"_

Amused, Dan raised a brow and waited for Blair to explain.

Sputtering, Blair tried to backpedal. "I did not say that! I said I wasn't attracted to him."

Realizing that didn't sound any better, she tried again. "That was the day he moved in! I was still bitter about having a roommate."

Dropping the subject, Serena ran a hand through her hair. "So...this is more than just a hook-up?"

Blair smiled. "Yeah."

"So you two like each other?"

"Yeah," they both responded.

Serena rubbed her face with her hands and looked at Blair again. "Dan, could you..."

"Yeah. I'll uh...leave you two...yeah." Awkwardly, he left them alone.

"Is this serious, B?" Serena asked quietly.

Blair nodded and couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face. "I'm crazy about him."

"Do you love him?"

"Not yet," she admitted. "But I will soon."

"Isn't it a little irresponsible that you two are living together?" Serena asked, breaking the ice and lifting the tension.

"Ugh, you sound like Dan," Blair said, letting out a laugh. "But...we're trying to be adults about it."

"So...how did this all happen?"

And so Blair told her. She was honest about the flirty first days they had, that were quickly put to rest once Serena came into the picture. And about the banter that was always there, teasing and tempting them. She told her about Halloween and their first date, and how she couldn't believe that out of all the people in the world, she fell for her roommate.

By the time she was finished telling it all, Serena had given her blessing and Nate and Dan were asleep again. They were falling fast too; it was now close to four in the morning, and once the girls crawled into bed once more, they promptly fell back to sleep.

**::**

Thanks to their late night, and early wake-up the previous morning, all four friends slept in. Once everyone was up and starving, they all headed to brunch.

Blair looked visibly more relaxed now that her and Dan were out in the open. Sitting on the bench across from Serena and Nate, she leaned into his chest as they enjoyed the last of the coffee and smiled as he placed a kiss in her hair.

"What was all that commotion last night?" Nate asked, taking another bite of his pancakes.

"Much to my surprise, I found Blair and Dan attacking each other in the kitchen."

Blair gasped, hiding her embarrassment. "We were not attacking each other!"

"Yes you were."

She scoffed. "Whatever. At least you know now. And speaking of that...Nate, how long have you known?"

He shrugged. "A few weeks."

Before she could probe him further, Serena cut in.

"Oh Natie! I have a surprise for you!" Serena said beaming with excitement. He mimicked her expression.

"Really?"

"Yup." She turned to Dan and Blair. "Are you two okay for an hour?"

"Of course. Oh Dan!" Blair tugged Dan's sleeve. "We should go see the library!"

Dan tightened his hold around her. "Sounds like a plan. We'll catch up with you in an hour?"

And with that, they paid the billed and went their separate ways; Dan and Blair to the library, and Serena and Nate off to the athletic center. She had gotten special permission, thanks to a friend, to go watch the lacrosse team practice. Even though he played for Columbia, Nate was still excited to see another team practice and tour their facilities.

At the library, Blair and Dan took their time to meander throughout—looking at the rare collections the university housed, while slipping away behind bookcases to steal the kisses they were deprived of for forty-eight hours.

When the friends met up once again, they realized with a frown that their train departure was rapidly approaching. After eating a late lunch at Serena's apartment, they all made the walk down the hill to the train station, happy to only have a few weeks until they saw each other again.

Blair tightly hugged Serena for a long minute before pulling away. "I really hope you're okay with me and Dan."

Grinning widely, Serena shrugged. "Dan and I didn't make sense Blair. And besides..." she looked over to an unsuspecting Nate. "I think I have some unfinished business with someone else."

Blair bit her lower lip, trying to suppress a smile. "You have _no_ idea how happy that makes me. It's about time you two are honest with yourselves and each other."

"Yeah, well...I needed to figure stuff out on my own first...without anyone from home's help. We have a semester left of school. Who knows what it'll bring." She hugged Blair again before doing the same to Nate and Dan.

"See you all in a month! Winter break can _not_ come fast enough!" Serena called, waving as they boarded the train. With a smile, Blair agreed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Apologies for the delayed update. This story requires a lot more time and energy to sit down and write (as opposed to oneshots), and with finals, I didn't have the time. But I'm back :) And with my winter break starting this week (a whole month!) my goal is to finish this by the time I go back to school.

As always, thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted, & favorited.

Everyone should thank Sarabrown & Spiros for reminding me that I need to finish this story, while I thank them for being so wonderful. :)

I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

**Note: **Some M-rated stuff in this.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own GG or any of its characters.

* * *

><p>The weeks passed quickly after their weekend at Brown. As their fall semester ended, the holidays came in full swing. Once Serena was back from school, the four friends— when they weren't out on the town—spent most of their nights at the penthouse. They watched holiday movies, had their own cookie party, (which spurred many delicious memories for Blair and Dan), and played countless board games.<p>

On the 23rd of December, Dan eagerly went to his internship knowing it was not only a half-day, but the last day he'd have to work for a few weeks. Then he could finally sleep in, sneak into Blair's room, and wake her up in the most arousing way possible.

Right as he was pouring his third cup of coffee, his phone rang. "Shit," he muttered, the drink spilling over the mug and scalding his hand.

He set the cup down and fished for his phone. "Dan Humphrey," he answered.

"Hi Dan, this is Steve Dixon, your old—"

"Landlord," Dan finished. "I remember. Can I help you with something?"

"Well, it seems there's been a change of events. Do you have a moment to talk?"

Confused and intrigued, Dan sat at his desk. "Sure."

**::**

Later that afternoon, Dan made his way upstairs, nerves racking his body. His phone call with Steve had been on his mind the entire day, and he didn't know how Blair would react to his news.

"Hey," he said from her bedroom doorway. He leaned against the frame.

Blair looked up and smiled. "Oh good, you're home. I just got off the phone with Nate, and he said to meet us at—" She noticed his sullen expression. "What's wrong?"

"Can we talk?"

She froze, nerves instantly taking over. "Of course. Is everything okay?" Shutting her laptop, she set it aside to make room for him on the bed, but he leaned against her desk instead.

"Well, that depends."

"On...?"

"On how upset you'll be if I move out."

She blinked, not expecting his response in the slightest. "Move out?"

"My old landlord just called, and apparently something happened with the sale of the building, and so they aren't knocking it down. He's offered me back my old apartment with the same lease and—"

"You took it?"

He let out a breath. "I said I'd think about it. But, I think I'm going to take it."

"Oh."

"Are...you okay with that?"

"What?" Blair asked, sounding dazed. "Oh...of course I am." She forced a smile. "You loved that apartment. And Brooklyn! It'll be great for you to be back in Brooklyn." Before he could respond, she looked at the clock. "We're going to be late if we don't leave now."

She was out of the room faster than he could stop her. He didn't know whether to be relieved or sad at her reaction to his news. Maybe she _really_ didn't mind him moving—

"_Dan!"_ her voice called from downstairs. "We're already late!"

"Coming," he sounded back.

They'd talk about it later.

**::**

She didn't speak the entire way to the restaurant, but thankfully gave a small smile when he took her hand. Nate even seemed to notice her mood, as he handed her a stong drink once they arrived.

"Drink up, B. Turn that frown upside down," he joked, trying to lighten the obviously sour mood.

"What frown, Nathanial?" she asked, grinning a little too widely.

"Nevermind," he sighed. "How was your day?"

"It was alright," Dan answered.

"Mine was _great_," Blair said. "Oh, by the way...Nate, did you hear the wonderful news?" she added in a voice coated with faux-excitement.

Nate gasped. "You're engaged!"

Both Blair and Dan nearly choked.

"No! Why would you..." Dan gave Nate a look that screamed _not cool, man._

"Nate, we've been dating for three months. I hardly think that's enough time to get a ring," Blair clipped, taking a sip of her drink.

Nate shrugged. "Whatever. I mean...you two are obviously in love, so it's not an entirely stupid guess," he defended. "Besides, you guys already live together, so I assumed an engagement was next."

Giving a close-mouthed smile, Blair looked to Dan to take this one.

Dan sighed. "Actually, that's not my news." He waited for a beat. "I'm moving back to Brooklyn." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Blair bristle.

Nate's eyes widened. "What?" He noticed Blair's sullen expression and lowered his voice. "I mean, why would you do that? I thought they tore it down."

"Apparently they didn't, and offered me my old apartment back."

"So?" Nate challenged. "You don't _need_ to take it."

Dan let out a breath. "I know, but—" His phone interrupted him. Looking at the screen, he sighed. "I gotta take this. I'll be right back."

The remaining pair stayed silent until Dan was out of view.

"And _you're_ okay with this?" Nate questioned, staring at Blair.

She rolled her eyes and lowered her voice. "We're just dating, it's not like I can tell him what to do," she bit out.

"Yeah, but you're allowed to tell him how you feel about it," Nate retorted. "Blair, you two aren't just "dating"—you're in a committed relationship. I think you deserve some say in this."

Blair gave her first genuine smile of the day. "That's sweet, Nate. But honestly I _just_ found out about the whole thing. We haven't really talked about it in great length."

"Well you should. I mean, when would he move out?"

Blair's eyes caught Dan as he moved back inside. "I don't know, Nate!" she rushed out. "I'll talk to him later."

But even after their dinner was over, she still wasn't in the mood to talk. As the conversation went on throughout the meal, she felt more and more hurt by the situation. What Nate had said hit her hard—they _were_ in a committed relationship. A relationship that—she thought—was headed in a good direction. Nate was right: they lived together, they loved each other, and whatever came next would most likely be marriage. She was in no way ready for that stage yet, but she more than happy with the way things were now. And she thought Dan was too.

"Want to watch a movie?" he asked as they exited the elevator.

After a moment of thought, Blair shook her head. "No, I'm actually really tired. I think I'm just going to go to bed."

Dan's heart fell. As the hours went by, she became colder and more distant. He gave a strained smile. "Okay. I'll see you in the morning." He leaned down to kiss her, almost expecting her to turn her cheek, but thankfully she didn't.

Despite her anger, Blair smiled against his lips and curled her arms around his neck. Once she pulled away, she took his hand. "Come with me."

Desire already burning in his eyes, he quickly obliged and followed her up the stairs. Once in her room, they tore away at each other clothes, locking their mouths against any free body part and eliciting from each other the most delicious of sounds. It was the combination of the emotional evening mixed with pure lust that made the moment so rushed and heated. Softly lowering her on the bed, Dan wasted no time before kissing her breast and slipping inside her, making her cry out from the wonderful feeling. Gripping the sheets with one hand, and his hair with the other, she mirrored his rocking movements with the same intensity. When he attacked her neck with his lips, she gave a breathy sigh and arched her back, burying herself further inside him. Their moans and gasps filled the heated room and intensified the passion, and soon they both felt the tingling sensation of a much-needed release. Speeding up his motions, Dan kissed her deeply, eagerly meeting her tongue with his. With one last thrust, they both went over the edge together, repeating each other's names in sighs of ecstasy.

"I love you," Blair said as she came down from her high. "So much."

Grinning, Dan leaned down and kissed her again. "I love you too," he whispered, still trying to catch his breath.

She propped up on her elbow and faced him, still breathing heavily. "So then why do you want to move out?" she questioned, but he could still hear the hurt laced in her voice.

Silence filled the room, save for their slowing breaths, and Blair waited for his answer.

"It has nothing to do with how much I love you," he said, feeling guilty that she could think such a thing. "I see a future with you Blair; I've never felt this way about anyone in my life. So _please_ don't think I'm moving out because I don't love you."

"Then help me understand! I love waking up to you in the morning, whether or not we wake up in the same bed. I love having breakfast with you, watching movies with you, making dinner with you. I don't want that to change."

"I think spending time apart will make us stronger. I want to be in a relationship with you and not be with you all the time." Before she could get offended or open her mouth, he spoke again. "And what I mean is...I want to be able to miss you. To spend time apart so that the next time I see you, I appreciate you more—_us_ more. I want to miss you so much that at three in the morning, after not seeing you all day, I'll _need_ to see you."

She smiled at his sweet answer. "That makes sense. And it _would_ be nice to live alone again...to focus on my last semester of school."

"Exactly."

"I just wish you talked about it with me before deciding," she confessed.

Shaking his head at himself, he said, "I know. I should have talked to you first. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She sighed, despite her changing of mind. "I'll miss living with you though," she said quietly, tracing the curve of his neck with her finger.

"Me too." He tucked a stray curl behind her ear and kissed her cheek. "Besides, I'm looking forward to seeing you dressed in my shirts for your walk of shames from Brooklyn."

She narrowed her eyes. "_I don't think so_, Daniel. I will be leaving some clothes at your apartment so that doesn't happen."

He feigned disappointment. "Oh, that's a shame. I think it's really sexy when you wear my clothes."

Her eyebrow quirked. "Really?" she asked breathlessly, crawling on top of him again. She leaned down and her brown curls fell around them like a veil.

"Mmhmm," he nodded, capturing her lips. "You know what else is sexy?"

Biting her lip, Blair shook her head playfully. "Show me."

And all whole night long, he did.

**::**

He decided to move out the first week of January, so both Blair and Dan thought it would be appropriate to throw one final party of the year in the Penthouse together. It was also the perfect opportunity for them to meet (some) of each other's parents. Eleanor and Cyrus had flown in for Christmas and, once they heard word of the party, extended their vacation into the New Year. Rufus promised to make an appearance before another party called their name. And, in addition to Serena and Nate, Vanessa came back into town, happily surprising Dan.

"I've heard so much about you...I feel like I know you already!" Vanessa said, giving Blair a hug. "He's totally smitten."

Smiling, Blair wrapped an arm around Dan's waist and placed a hand on his chest. "Well...so am I." He kissed her temple as the elevator doors sounded and all their parents spilled out.

The rest of the evening went better than expected. Blair had been incredibly nervous to meet his parents, mainly because she knew _this was it—Dan _was it. So making a lasting and perfect impression on his parents was of the utmost importance.

It didn't take long for either side of parents to see how in love they were. They had never seen their children look happier; Eleanor and Cyrus easily approved of Dan, as Rufus did of Blair.

As the midnight hour drew near, champagne flowed, cake was served, and each guest searched out their special someone. Eyeing the thirty-second mark on her watch, Blair slipped away from her conversation with Serena to locate Dan. She found him by the windows overlooking the city.

"There you are," she said just as the countdown began, wrapping her arms around his body.

_10_

_9_

8

"Ready to start the New Year together?"

_7_

_6_

_5_

"There's no one else I'd rather spend it with," he answered, running his hands through her hair and cupping her head. "I love you."

_4_

_3_

"I love you too."

_2_

_1_

The "Happy New Years" were muffled and no longer important once their lips touched. It didn't matter where they lived, or if it was with each other or apart. What mattered was they were starting 2012— and every year after—together.

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><p><strong>AN:** The End :) Well...until the epilogue. I'll have that soon.

Thank you to those who reviewed...they always make me smile. Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter!

Sara & Spiros: You know how much I adore you. Thanks for all the support, read-throughs, & fun convos :)


	11. Epilogue

_**Epilogue: Three Years Later**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

"Seriously guys...pick up the pace!" Blair said, from her spot in the foyer.

Today they were moving the final boxes into their new apartment. They'd been unpacked and moved in for weeks, but they had yet to spend a night in it. The final boxes were from their parent's houses—little knickknacks and childhood mementos that weren't the most important things to unpack right away— and a few boxes that contained the many shoes and bags that didn't fit into Blair (and Dan's) previously tiny closet.

Nate groaned. "If you didn't have so much _crap_, maybe we would be moving a little faster!"

Once he said the word, he instantly regretted it.

Dan stopped in his tracks and shook his head. "Dude," he said, letting out a laugh, knowing what was coming.

Her brows raised, Blair slowly walked over to Nate, looking the opposite of amused. "Nathanial," she said all to sweetly. "Last time I checked, Prada and Chanel were not deemed as _crap._"

He paled. "I...I didn't mean it literally. Obviously."

"Obviously," she echoed, and then shooed him away with her hand.

A minute later, both men walked down the steps again. "I feel like I'm having déjà-vu," Nate said. "Didn't this already happen?"

"Yes, it did. But the only difference between now and then is _now_ Dan is my husband, not a stranger. But you're complaining _just_ as much as you did three years ago." She flashed a smile that showed she was just playing with him, but he got her point.

"I'll bring up the last of the boxes," Nate volunteered, heading to the elevator.

Once out of view, Dan walked up to his wife. "Take it easy on him. You know how grumpy he is that Serena won't be here tonight."

Curling her arms around his neck, she pulled herself closer to him. "Yes, but once he sees that she's lying and _will_ be at the party, he'll wish he was more cooperative." She gave her classic smile that he couldn't resist kissing.

"Speaking of the party, is everything ready?"

She sighed happily. "I think so. Dorota and I prepped everything this morning so all I need to do it put the dishes in the oven. And Vanessa told everyone to bring an appetizer, so we're good there. I did forget ice though."

"I'll run out and grab some."

Her lips twisted into a smile. "You're too good for me."

"I know," he teased. "But I'll stick with you anyway." He leaned down to kiss her, and the fact that it was happening in their new foyer—where they would live as husband and wife—made it infinitely better. "I'll be back in twenty."

With Dan gone, and Nate unloading the rest of the boxes, Blair relished the moment of peace. Walking down the hall into the kitchen, she took a minute to take everything in. She'd lived in the Penthouse her entire life and this was the first time she'd ever had a place all to herself.

Well, _their_self.

This kitchen was theirs. The living room was theirs. The bedroom was most certainly theirs. She'd never had an interest in cooking until now, but standing right there, right next to _their_ marble island, she made a vow to learn how to cook.

Moving to the cabinets, she opened each one to memorize what it contained. She made her way around the room, opening every door and drawer. When she reached the last one—the large drawer to the right of the oven—she let out a gasp.

Her favorite thing to do with Dan was reminisce their early days. The days where they liked each other so much—but were _so_ stubborn—they'd almost ruined the possibly of _them_. One of her favorite days was their first. Their first kiss. The first time they had sex. The first time they said _to hell with it_ and gave into their desire for one another. The night they baked.

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies still made her weak in the knees, and Dan loved reminding her of that.

And so the drawer full of colorful mixing bowls and spatulas and bags of chocolate chips and oats made her gasp. His romance always caught her off guard, and she looked forward to a lifetime of surprises from him.

Her eyes tingling with happy tears, Blair moved from the kitchen into the living room. Walking over to the open box on the ground, she continued what she'd been doing before Nate and Dan interrupted her: scattering every surface with pictures. Photos from their wedding were on the fireplace, while photos from their college days littered the closed piano. The glass coffee tabled featured stacked fashion books, but a picture of the Fab Four in their Brown sweatshirts completed the look. Their décor style had stayed the same throughout the apartment: chic and homey.

By the time she was finished with the pictures and throwing away the box, Dan had returned and guests were on their way.

The party was the like the one they'd hosted at New Years a few years prior, except all sides of their families were now close and familiar friends. Dan and Blair's romance had been whirlwind and unexpected, but their love had remained strong even through their separate living arrangements. After graduating, Blair had worked her way up to a substantial position at Marchesa, where instead of just leading fashion trends, she was creating them. Dan was working freelance for the _New York Times_, in between doing press for his novella. During his final semester of college, Dan had written a work of fiction that had impressed his professor so much, he passed it on to an agent. It wasn't at the top of the Bestseller's list, but it was highly received in literary circles and slowly gaining publicity.

They married right in the middle of their professional achievements, so they'd waited to move into a new apartment until things calmed down. Dan moved _back_ to Blair's penthouse for a year before they finally found their own place.

After giving many tours and eating way too much, their final guests—a blissful Serena and Nate—left at last.

With the day consisting of moving and hosting, Blair was exhausted, and the thought of curling up in their new bed for the first time sounded heavenly. Her legs wrapped around Dan's waist, he carried her up the staircase to the second floor.

Blair leaned in to pepper kisses on his lips. "Do you think this is our forever home?"

"Hmm..." He kissed her, and then spoke as she moved to his neck. "Well, it does have the great kitchen for plenty of cookie baking."

"And the library for all of your bestsellers." At the landing, he turned to move down the hallway.

"And the extra bedrooms for all of the babies we have." He kissed her shoulder as she smiled wide.

"Oh, really?"

He nodded. "Mmhmm."

"Well, where can we make sure that happens?" she asked coyly, stealing another kiss.

Tapping the double-doors open with his foot, he replied, "Well, I hear this place has a pretty great master bedroom."

"Does it?"

He lowered her on their expansive bed. Nodding, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Welcome home."

.

.

.

_**The End.**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I hope this was a satisfying ending :) This was a really fun story to write, so thank you for reading and reviewing these past few months!

Thanks again to Sara and Spiros for their ongoing support while writing this.

Please let me know how this final chapter was! And of course, never stop Daring to Dair ;)


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